What Is TMJ? The Different Disorders Explained
Did you know that approximately 10 million people in the US suffer from a TMJ disorder? TMJ causes teeth clenching, jaw popping, and pain while you eat.
So, what is TMJ exactly? TMJ disorders are actually a group of disorders that affect your jaw joints. If you're experiencing pain in your jaw or notice you're grinding your teeth, it's essential to learn more about TMJ disorders so you don't delay the treatment you need.
Keep reading this guide to learn about TMJ disorders and what an experienced dentist in Burke, VA, can do to help ease your pain!
What Is TMJ?
TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, and these joints are located right in front of your ears. These joints connect the lower portion of your jaw bone to your skull and help with movements like speaking and chewing.
When these joints are healthy, and in alignment, the muscles and ligaments attached to them will move smoothly and efficiently. This allows you to chew, talk, yawn, and swallow without difficulty.
When these structures become inflamed, injured, or aren't aligned, you can develop a disorder of your temporomandibular joints.
Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD), also referred to as TMJ disorders, are a group of over 30 conditions that affect your temporomandibular joint, which causes pain and trouble with jaw movement.
The most common TMJ disorders include:
Myofascial Pain
Myofascial pain is the most common form of TMD, and you'll typically feel pain in the tissue that covers your muscles, known as connective tissue. You'll also feel pain in the muscles controlling your jaw and neck function.
Degenerative Joint Disease
Aging or overuse of the TMJs can result in inflammation and overall wear and tear in these joints. This is usually due to rheumatoid or osteoarthritis in one or both of these joints.
Derangement of the Joint
A dislocated or displaced jaw or injury to the cartilage between the jaw bone and skull is another common cause of TMJ jaw disorders.
Signs and Symptoms of TMD
The most common symptom of TMD is jaw discomfort or soreness, especially in the morning after you wake up. Other symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Jaw tenderness
- Clenching or grinding your teeth
- Facial pain
- Clicking or popping of the jaw with any type of jaw movements
- Teeth sensitivity that's not caused by other oral health issues
- Locking of the jaw
- Limited ability to open your mouth normally
- Earaches or ringing in the ears
- Changes in the way your upper and lower teeth come together
TMJ disorders can really impact your life, so it's important to
see your dentist as soon as possible if you're experiencing any of these symptoms regularly.
Causes of TMD
Many times, the causes of TMD are not always clear. You may develop TMD from excess strain on your jaw joints from grinding your teeth, or it can be due to an improper bite or tooth alignment problems.
Trauma and arthritis can cause TMD, but they can also be due to other conditions like fibromyalgia. Recent studies have also shown TMD is more common in people with irritable bowel syndrome.
TMD can also be due to stress, trauma, anxiety, or problems with your nervous system.
Diagnosing TMD
To diagnose TMD, you'll need an in-depth evaluation to assess your symptoms. It's best to seek treatment at Dental Care Burke, where you can see a dentist that's experienced in treating TMJ disorders.
Your dentist will start by assessing the health of your joints. To do this, they'll observe the motion of your jaw as you open and close your mouth. They'll feel the area around your jaw and place a small amount of pressure on specific locations to pinpoint areas of pain or tenderness.
Your dentist also may also measure your muscle activity using electromyography. Many people with TMD have pain in the muscles responsible for chewing, and this tool can effectively assess these specific muscle movements and locate the problem areas.
You'll also typically get dental x-rays to more closely examine your teeth and jaw areas so your dentist can form a treatment plan.
Treatment for TMD
You can start easing the pain of TMD at home by applying heat or cold packs to the side of your face around your temple area. You'll need to apply these packs for 10 minutes at a time to the affected area at least 2 to 3 times a day.
You can also eat soft foods for a few days to ease the inflammation you're experiencing. You can try foods such as mashed potatoes, soup, scrambled eggs, and fish. Avoid crunchy or hard-to-chew foods like caramel, taffy, gum, or pretzels.
Taking over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen for a few days can also help with pain and inflammation.
Dental Treatments
Finally, your dentist will come up with a custom treatment plan. Typically this can involve mouthpieces or nightguards that fit over your teeth to prevent you from clenching down or grinding your teeth at night.
Sometimes, you'll need dental treatment to bring your bite back into alignments, such as dental crowns, bridges, or treatment to straighten your teeth
TENS
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses electrical currents to relax your jaw joints and facial muscles and is a very effective treatment for treating TMJ disorders.
TMJ Surgery
Surgery can be an option for severe cases that don't respond to conservative treatments. A common noninvasive procedure called arthrocentesis can often be done in your dental office. It involves injecting needles filled with fluids that help to wash the joints out.
Other more invasive surgeries include arthroscopy, which involves making small incisions in front of your ears so the area of TMJ can be examined. During this procedure, the inflamed tissue will be removed to realign the joints.
See an Experienced TMJ Dentist in Burke, VA Today
Now that you know the answer to the question "what is TMJ?" you'll be able to understand your symptoms better and see a dentist as soon as possible.
If you're looking for a dentist in Burke, VA, Dental Care Burke has everything you need. We offer TMJ and TMD consultations so you can get an exam, diagnosis, and treatment quickly and efficiently.
We also offer general, emergency, cosmetic, laser dentistry, and more. Dental crowns, bridges, veneers, and bonding are just some of our many dental care options to help you restore your dental health.
Make sure you contact us today to schedule a TMJ consultation!
Dr. Bernard Lynch
Joshua Kibrom
Michael Gebre
