TMJ is also known as a temporomandibular joint and is one of the most critical joints in the jaw. This hinge joint is on either side of your mandible, your lower jaw, where it connects to the rest of your mouth. Unlike most hinge joints in your body, the TMJ is double hinged so it moves in all directions, not just up and down or side to side. You use your TMJ to go in every direction possible when chewing food. TMJ stands for the joint itself and does not mean you have Bellevue TMJ disorder. If you have chronic pain in your TMJ, it causes you to have a limited range of motion, and determines how wide you can open and close your mouth, which can affect your diet and lifestyle.
What causes TMD?
Several factors cause TMD. Some of the most common are:
- Bite misalignment: When your bite does not line up correctly, it means that your TMJ has to work irregularly to chew food properly. These improper movements eventually lead up to chronic pain.
- Physical trauma: Patients involved in collisions like an automobile accident or athletic injury can incur serious complications in the internal ligaments and discs of the TMJ.
- Bruxism: This condition refers to clenching and grinding of teeth.
- Arthritis: Deterioration of your body’s bone cartilage. Arthritis does not just affect joints like the ones in your hands and your knees, but it can also cause TMJ pain.
Symptoms of TMD
Initial signs of TMD include:
- Signs of headaches, ear pain, and tooth pain. This is due to your TMJ being located right next to your ears, the muscles attached to it throughout your face, head and neck, as wel as your teeth.
- Joint popping and clicking. Regional popping might not be a sign of bad things, but if you notice a pop or click every time your mouth moves, let your doctor know about this.
- Joint stiffness: Some soreness and joint stiffness might flare up from time to time. Take note of the symptoms that are easy to notice during various times of the day, including right when you wake up, which can also be accompanied by signs of clenching and grinding while you are sleeping. When we get stiff joints, they don’t move correctly. It is the same for your TMJ.
- Joint locking in super rare situations. TMS can include your mouth locking, where you cannot move it at all. This situation can be scary and requires immediate attention from your dentist and oral surgeon, physical therapist, chiropractor, or medical doctor.
- Atypical anatomy. If the joint starts to deteriorate, or its structural integrity is damaged because of disease or overuse, it can show up on your image.
When should you see a dentist?
If you are to the point where you cannot eat normally and are dealing with pain every day, you are past the point of needing to see your dentist about your condition. Contact EZ Dental Clinic to learn more about TMD treatment options.
