The Causes and Symptoms of TMJ Disorder

The TMJ is a sliding hinge acts as a connective part between your jawbones to your skull. TMJ disorders — a type of temporomandibular or TMD disorder — may cause pain in the joints of the jaw and muscles that control the jaw.

It is often difficult to find the exact cause of a person's TMJ disorder. A combination of different factors, like genetic engineering, arthritis and jaw injury can cause your pain. Some people with jaw pain tend to tighten or grind their teeth (bruxism), many people usually squeeze their teeth or grind them and never grow TMJ disease and you must consult a TMJ dentist.

In most cases, TMJ-related pain and discomfort are temporary, and can be alleviated by self-controlled or non-surgical treatment. Surgery is usually a final option after conservatory action has been unsuccessful but surgery can be used to treat certain people with TMJ disorders.

Symptoms:

Pain

The pain that is felt when the jaw moves is one of the most evident symptoms in TMJ. Other symptoms of TMJ disorder however include headaches or migraines, ache of the neck or back pain, and earaches or ear-spreading pain. If the pain is not near the jaw, a doctor is frequently looking for further symptoms before a TMJ disorder is diagnosed.

Sounds

An unusual symptom, but often painless, is that you click, or even grind when you eat, speak, or just open the mouth.

TMJ disorders are not always symptomatic of sounds that happen when moving the jaw. Actually, jaws are pretty frequent. The medical advice may only be required when the sounds occur together with the pain or limited movement of the jaw.

Ears may be buzzing, ringed or numb, and these can also be related to TMJ disorders. TMJ disorders are caused.

For Causes

The temporomandibular joint has a hinge action along with sliding movements. The interacting bone parts in the joint are cartilage covered and separated by a small shock absorbing disk, normally maintaining a smoothing move.

TMJ diseases can happen in painful ways if:

  • The disk erodes or moves away from a correct alignment

  • Arthritis damages the cartilage of the joint

  • A blow or other impact damages the joint

When to Consult a Doctor

If you have any persistent pain, sensitivity, or if you cannot open or close your jaw totally, seek medical attention. Your doctor, TMJ dentist can talk to you about potential causes and treatments.

Disclaimer: This content is not a professional dental or medical advice and does not imply a relationship between patient and care provider or the doctors.

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