Tempormanidbular joint (TMJ) disorder is a condition that affects many Americans. The tempormandibiular joint connects your lower jaw to your skull at the temporal bone. This joint controls many jaw functions and any pain in this area may cause jaw joint muscle problems, known as temporamandibular disorder (TMD). We treat many of our patients suffering from TMJ with procedures like occlusal adjustments and bone grafting.
Symptoms of TMD are wide-ranging. Patients will often feel pain when opening or closing their mouth, trouble chewing food, their jaw will become stuck, headaches are quite common and patients will often hear clicking or popping sounds when opening or closing their mouth. These symptoms can be associated with a lot of other health problems; patients should consult a medical professional, such as a dentist will allow for a proper diagnosis.
Treatment for TMD can go many different ways. Pain relievers and hot/cold compresses are short term methods and often do not solve the problems. Another possible treatment for TMD would be wearing a night mouth guard, this will lessen the effects of teeth grinding that can cause TMD. More permanent solutions include possible surgery in severe cases, but behavioral treatments to change the way the jaw muscles are used can be enough to solve the problem permanently.
