u/Upstairs-Office8049

Just figured I’d give everyone an update in case you’re considering TMJ arthroscopy.
I’m currently 5 days post-op. My surgeon performed an arthroscopy where he washed the joint and removed adhesions.

For some background, I’m a 23m and have had TMJ issues since I was 15. Back then it was mostly clicking and popping with no pain, and I had a normal range of motion. In May 2025, my disc became displaced without reduction, and my mouth opening became locked at only 5 mm. Eating, talking, working out, pretty much everything became difficult. I tried physical therapy, muscle relaxers, and NSAIDs, but none of them helped much.

The first 3 days after surgery were the hardest. I couldn’t find a comfortable position because no matter where I rested my head, I felt pressure in the joint. The pain itself honestly hasn’t been too bad it’s been more the pressure and discomfort.
I see my surgeon again in about 2 weeks, and until then I’m sticking to a soft diet. It’s still early in my recovery, so I can’t comment on my long term results yet, but I’ll continue to post updates as I heal.
If anyone is considering this surgery or has questions about the recovery so far, feel free to ask. I’ll do my best to answer based on my experience.

Hey everyone, I’m a 22M and just had a level 1 arthroscopy 2 days ago. Prior to this, I had disc displacement without reduction that restricted my max jaw opening to just 6mm.

So far, the recovery hasn't been too painful, I'm just a little sore overall. However, I’m experiencing a distinct pressure feeling in my right joint, which seems to get worse specifically when I lay down.

For those who have been through this: Is this localized pressure normal this early on? And when do you start to feel better?

Hey everyone, I’m a 22M and just had a level 1 arthroscopy 2 days ago. Prior to this, I had disc displacement without reduction that restricted my max jaw opening to just 6mm.

So far, the recovery hasn't been too painful, I'm just a little sore overall. However, I’m experiencing a distinct pressure feeling in my right joint, which seems to get worse specifically when I lay down.

For those who have been through this: Is this localized pressure normal this early on? And when do you start to feel better?

had a level 1 arthroscopy and so far i can’t find a comfy way to rest my head. i tried 1 pillows 2 pillows 0 pillows, and no matter what my right eye and jaw feel so tight and my right side teeth keep hitting.

I still have Tmj pain rather than soreness, is this normal?

had a level 1 arthroscopy and so far i can’t find a comfy way to rest my head. i tried 1 pillows 2 pillows 0 pillows, and no matter what my right eye and jaw feel so tight and my right side teeth keep hitting.

I still have Tmj pain rather than soreness, is this normal?

i had local anesthetic injected twice into my TMJ area 5 days ago. Since then, I’ve noticed that the eye on that same side looks slightly more uneven/asymmetric compared to before.

I know temporary eyelid drooping can sometimes happen right after a local anesthetic injection, but can it still affect the appearance of the eye several days later? Has anyone experienced this after a TMJ injection

i have an arthroscopy june 29th and i just started finasteride today. I didn’t get a chance to ask my surgeon if that would be a problem. I asked google and it said that it shouldn’t be a problem.

tldr: i saw 2 surgeons for my displaced disc and one wants to remove my disc completely and the other wants to wash it out. i can barley talk or eat from the pain and can only open 5mm.

idk what option to do because i dont want to have condylar resorption but i also cannot keep living the way i am.

i’m 22 my disc has been displaced without reduction for a little over a year now. i can barley talk or eat because i can only open 5mm. ive tried physical therapy, medications, and conservative treatment, but nothing has really helped.

ive gotten two different surgical opinions and im not sure what the best path forward is. one oral surgeon recommends removing the disc entirely and replacing it with a fat graft. the other surgeon wants to perform an arthroscopy to wash out the joint and remove any adhesions first.

i’m worried about bone resorption if i completely remove the disc and i was also told there’s a 20% chance that i will need total joint replacement after disc removal. i have no idea what to do but i know i can’t live my life not eating or talking.

whoever has been in my shoes can you please share what you did and what helped i feel so lost.

Caffeine seems to make my TMJ worse. I stopped drinking energy drinks/coffee for a while and noticed my jaw felt less tight and irritated. Whenever I have a lot of caffeine, my TMJ tends to flare up even if I’m not consciously clenching.

Not saying this happens to everyone, but it might be worth experimenting with reducing caffeine if you struggle with TMJ tightness or pain.

I’m curious how surgeons approached your case if you had disc displacement/TMJ issues before DJS.
Did they think the unstable joint/disc could increase relapse risk or affect the surgical outcome?