Will my TMJ go away on its own? Approx how long?

TMJ problems do not go away but can be controlled. The use of a mouthguard/bruxing splint is generally where a dentist will start with treatment of this problem. I am not sure why they sent you to an oral surgeon first, you may want to call the dentist and speak with him personally about this. Did they take a panorex x-ray to check the TMJ joints? If they did, was there something evident on the x-ray that concerned him enough to send you to an oral surgeon? The act of clenching and grinding of the teeth really affects the TMJ. Everyone does this in their sleep to some extent, some more than others. This action of clenching and grinding is called Bruxing. The mouthguard keeps the teeth from coming together and allows the muscles to relax thus no bruxing. A lot of great info can be found online. I personally have tried a few different kinds of mouthguards and the NTI is my personal favourite as there is a daytime and nighttime device. I tend to clench a lot during the day. Hope this helps. Oh and place warm compresses on your jaw joints this helps along with the Advil too. You can take a wet washcloth and wring it out and place in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Just make sure it isn't too hot when you place it on your face. :) Good luck!