dental disorders
How To Reduce a Mandibular Dislocation
Additional Considerations
Do TMJ reduction promptly. Reduction becomes more difficult with passing time. TMJ dislocation can be painful and patients are sometimes anxious, but this can often be ameliorated by gentle, calm reassurance. Local anesthetic injection of the joint and muscles of mastication is rarely needed. Procedural sedation is usually not needed. The need for sedation vs the risks (particularly in older patients) and increased time required should be weighed carefully. If readily available, do a panoramic jaw x-ray for patients with a possible non-anterior TMJ dislocation. However, an x-ray is not always needed for a nontraumatic dislocation, especially if the patient has a history of prior dislocations. Do a CT scan for traumatic TMJ dislocation. Closed-reduction attempts may fail and require reduction under general anesthesia. 