The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts like a hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your jaw.
TMJ Disorders
— can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement. The exact cause of a person’s TMJ disorder is often difficult to determine. Your pain may be due to a combination of factors, such as genetics, arthritis, or jaw injury. Some people who have jaw pain also tend to clench or grind their teeth (bruxism), although many people habitually clench or grind their teeth and never develop TMJ disorders?
Diseases Related To TMJ
(1) Aging and degenerative
temporomandibular joint disease
(2) Gender and degenerative
temporomandibular joint disease
(3)Occlusal and masticatory dysfunction
Signs and symptoms of TMJ disorders may include:
- Pain or tenderness of your jaw
- Pain in one or both of the temporomandibular joints
- Aching pain in and around your ear Difficulty chewing or pain while chewing
stiffness in the muscles of the jaw - limited movement of the jaw
- Locking of the jaw
- Clicking or popping sound from the tmj site
- Dental issues, such as the wearing down of teeth
- The shift in the jaw, changing the way that the upper and lower teeth align (called malocclusion)
When to see your oral & maxillofacial surgeon?
- If you have persistent pain or tenderness in your jaw
- If you can’t open or close your jaw completely.
Painful TMJ disorders can occur if:
Treatment Options
1] Medications
2] Therapies
Nondrug therapies for TMJ disorders include: Oral splints or mouth guards (occlusal appliances).
Physical therapy. Along with exercises to stretch and strengthen jaw muscles, treatments might include ultrasound, moist heat, and ice.
3] Surgical or other procedures
-Arthrocentesis for TMJ
-Injections. In some people, corticosteroid injections into the joint may be helpful. Infrequently, injecting botulinum toxin type A (Botox, others) into the jaw muscles used for chewing may relieve pain associated with TMJ disorders.
TMJ Arthroscopy.
Modified condylotomy. Modified condylotomy (kon-dih-LOT-uh-mee) addresses the TMJ indirectly, with surgery on the mandible, but not in the joint itself. It may be helpful for the treatment of pain and if locking is experienced. -Open-joint surgery. If your jaw pain does not resolve with more-conservative treatments and it appears to be caused by a structural problem in the joint, your doctor or dentist may suggest open-joint surgery (arthrotomy) to repair or replace the joint.
