I have had TMJD for about 20 years. Both the discs of both TMJ joints are permanently dislocated. Confirmed with both an MRI and a CT scan. The CT scan reveals discs that have been remodeled so that they look like the beak of a bird! I have tried just about every option I could think of: TMJ dentists (board certified), acupuncture, chiropractors, psychologists, Botox (several times), etc, etc. I have read may peer-reviewed articles. The only tool of the TMJ dentists I have used was the bite splint. Never worked for me. Some bite splints are made to slowly force the discs back to their normal position. Very painful for me.

Recently I found a TMJ dentist who was trained in orofacial pain - in 2020 Orofacial Pain was recognized as a new dental speciality (https://aaop.org). This seemed to be a possibility as this speciality is supposed to be "evidenced based". I found a dentist with this training but he maxed me up with Gabapentin (1300MG/day) and I developed a serious case of ataxia and, of course, constipation. My last session concluded with this provider saying that because dentists are not trained as medical doctors, prescribing medication could lead to malpractice.

So after 20 years I have decided the best option is to work with a neurologist and treat my condition with medication. I need to modify my behavior as, for example, even talking can increase my pain level. I am now seeing a neurologist who practices in a headache clinic. We are trying "off label" drugs to see if any thing works. My personal conclusion is that each TMJD case is different. And keep good records so that you can discuss what works and what does not with each new provider.

You might take a look at tmj.org. They are a pretty good source of information, as they say: "We are the ONLY patient advocacy organization fighting for the best science that will lead to a greater understanding of Temporomandibular and related disorders and treatments that will help and not harm patients."

Best of luck.
Bob