The diagnostic procedures enable the clinician to assess the severity and the cause(s) of the condition. In many cases, the symptoms are related to muscle hyperactivity and/or dental and skeletal mal-relationships with minimal joint damage. In these cases, successful treatment options are non-surgical, and may include:

1. Application of moist heat and cold spray.

2. Injections of a local anesthetic into muscle trigger points.

3. Physical therapy (passive and active jaw exercises).

4. Medication (muscle relaxants, anti-anxiety medication, anti-depressants, anti-inflamatories, and pain relieving medication)

5. Multivitamins, minerals, and natural enzymes.

6. Neuro-muscular orthotics to restore the proper vertical, lateral, anterior-posterior muscle resting length and the most comfortable physiologic position of the condyle to the eminence-fossa-meniscal complex.

7. Biofeedback and acupuncture.

8. TENS (transcutaneous electrical neural simulation) Myomonitor.

9. Coronoplasty (reshaping anatomy of tooth structures)

10. Orthodontics to restore proper relationship between the upper and lower jaw and teeth; after this relationship has been established by use of a neuro-muscular orthotic.

11. General dentistry to restore missing teeth and maintain proper relationship of the maxilla and mandible by use of partial and complete dentures, crowns, bridgework, and dental implants after this relationship has been established with a neuro-muscular orthotic.

12. Local anesthetic and cortisone injections into the joint to relieve pain and swelling.

Surgical treatment

In other, more severe cases, surgery is necessary to correct bone and tissue damage caused by disease, trauma, chronic dysfunction, and iatrogenic causes, i.e., Proplast. These may include:

1. Arthroscopic examination (lysis and lavage) and arthroscopic surgery to treat early and less severe damage to the joint.

2. Surgery to repair damaged bony joint and meniscal surfaces due to osteoarthritis. This is a wear and tear arthritis. This is done by use of a Vitallium articular eminence device. The device has been used over 30 years. There have been multiple long-term studies of its bio-compatibility and efficacy. (Note 4) .

3. Total jaw joint implants are needed to restore extensively damaged joint surfaces. These devices are a Vitallium ramus and acrylic condylar head functioning against a Vitallium articular eminence device. This system has been in use for 30 years.