TMJ, or TMJ disorder, is a condition that affects the temporomandibular joint, which is the piece of bone that connects the lower jaw, or mandible, to the base of the skull. TMJ disorder occurs when one or both of the temporomandibular joints fail to function as they should, which results in pain in both the jaw and head and at times can only be corrected by TMJ surgery. TMJ is a self perpetuating condition, meaning that once it develops it will result in symptoms that will only make the disorder worse. The pain and tightness caused by TMJ will leaded to increased grinding and clenching of the jaw to relieve the sensation, which while effective in the short term will only result in the acceleration of the disorder. The worse TMJ gets the more pain it causes and the more tightness is felt in the jaw muscles, which results in even more jaw movement in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms. While TMJ is technically easily treatable in most instances if the patient can avoid the behaviors that make the condition worse, for many TMJ is a never ending downwards spiral of pain and discomfort that can only be treated with TMJ surgery.
The main symptom of TMJ disorder is pain, though the severity of this pain and its location will vary from patient to patient. Because TMJ affects the joint where the jaw connects to the skull the most common type of pain is jaw pain. In a large portion of TMJ patients the disorder will initially present with mild to moderate jaw pain which is often accompanied by a clicking or popping sound when the lower jaw is moved up and down. Pain in the ear is another common symptom of TMJ though the cause of the pain is often mistakenly attributed to an ear infection. The fact that the pain seems to originate from the ear often makes it hard for doctors diagnose TMJ as the underlying problem. Many TMJ patients also report headaches as a common symptom. When the temporomandibular joint fails to work properly it can easily result in a strained muscle or pinched nerve around the jaw; both of which can manifest in the form of a chronic headache. TMJ patients that routinely grind their teeth, or clench them while sleeping my experience pain in the teeth and lower jaw that mimics a tooth ache. While pain medication can be used to manage the pain caused by TMJ on a short term basis eventually the problem will likely have to be corrected with TMJ surgery.
While TMJ is often caused by the failure of the temporomandibular joints to work properly, there are a variety of different reasons why these joints may break down or fall out of alignment. One of the most common causes of TMJ is the wearing down of the cartilage located in between the two bones that allows for fluid movement. Wear and tear on cartilage in the temporomandibular joints is especially common for people that grind their teeth or have other ticks that result in increased movement of the jaw. Cartilage can also be damaged or displaced over time due to injury. When the cartilage in the temporomandibular joints wears down it results on direct bone on bone contact every time the jaw moves which can be incredibly painful.
Another common cause of TMJ is a dislocated temporomandibular joint, which causes the jaw to move in ways it was not meant to causing stress on the jaw muscle and damage to the cartilage within the joint. Those that have teeth that do not properly align, also known as a misaligned bite, have a high risk of developing TMJ at some point in their lives because it increases the stress placed on the temporomandibular joints. Even common motions such as chewing can take a toll on the temporomandibular joints over a period of time, resulting in the erosion of the cartilage. Whether it is a dislocated temporomandibular joint or a misaligned jaw almost every cause of TMJ results in the jaw muscles being tightened for long periods of times, which results in the physical symptoms felt by patients with TMJ. Initially, many of these causes may not be very bothersome initially but as the muscles come under increased stress the condition is bound to get worse. For patients with severe pain or permanent physical damage to the jaw bone or muscles TMJ surgery may offer the only chance of relief.
TMJ Surgery terms:
- can TMJ be corrected?
- understanding the jaw
- TM joint cartilage tear
- temporomandibular joint cartilage worn away
- severe jaw pain that mimicks toothache