TMD is not just one disorder, but a group of conditions, often painful, that affect the way joint or temporomandibular joint or TMJ and the muscles that control the chewing.
Women are twice as likely to have it as men.
Usually, discomfort from TMD/TMJ is occasional and temporary, often occurring in cycles.
What is TMJ?
The temporomandibular joint connects the lower jaw, called the mandible, to the temporal bone at the side of the head. If you place your fingers just in front of your ears and open your mouth, you can feel the joint on each side of your head.
Because these joints are flexible the jaw can move smoothly up and down and side to side, enabling us to talk, chew and yawn. Muscles attached to and surrounding the jaw joint controls its position and movement.
When we open our mouths, the rounded ends of the lower jaw, called condyles, glide along the joint socket of the temporal bone. They condyles slide back to their original position when we close our mouths. To keep this motion smooth a soft disc lies between the condyle and the temporal bone. This disc absorbs shocks to the TMJ from chewing and other movements.
Temporomandibular disorders fall into three main categories:
-
Myofascial pain, the most common form of TMD, which is discomfort or pain in the muscles that control jaw function and the neck and shoulder muscles;
-
Internal derangement of the joint, meaning a dislocated jaw or displaced disc, or injury to the condyle:
-
Degenerative joint disease, such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the jaw joint.
A person my have one or more of these conditions at the same time.
TMJ Is Caused By:
- Severe injury to the jaw or temporomandibular joint.
- Arthritis in the jaw joint.
- Bad bite (malocclusion), this theory is in dispute.
- Orthodontic treatment (braces) however studies now show that this is unlikely.
- Displaced disc, disc is not in a normal position, however if there is no pain or problems with jaw movement, no treatment is needed.
- Stress causing clenching or grinding of the teeth at night can tire the jaw muscles and lead to pain.
- Jaw clicking, however if there is no other symptoms like pain or the jaw locking then jaw clicking alone may not need treatment.
Avoid, if at all possible, treatments that cause permanent changes in the bite or jaw.
Symptoms:
- Pain in the chewing muscles and/or jaw joint.
- Limited movement or locking of the jaw.
- Radiation pain in the face, neck or shoulders.
- Painful clicking, popping or grating sounds in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth.
- Sudden, major change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together.
It is important to keep in mind; however, that occasional discomfort in the jaw joint or chewing muscles is quite common and is generally not a cause for concern.
