What is TMJ and How to Beat It

What is TMJ? TMJ is Temporo- Mandibular Joint, which facilitates the opening and closing of the jaw. Many people do not know what TMJ is, and that is a commonly asked question both in the medical world and the social world. The Temporo- Mandibular joint is located where the lower jaw meets the skull, and it is in front of the ear. TMJ is what enhances the movement and the functioning of the mandible (the lower jaw) to function and move. The TMJ is comprised of blood vessels, muscles bones and nerves, and they are two, on each side of the lower jaw. TMJ controls the movement of the jaw in two ways; hinge action rotation which open and close the mouth, and gliding action, which give room for the mouth to open wider.TMJ allows a person to talk, yawn and chew.

Force is put on the object which is in between the joint and the teeth when a person bites down hard. In this case, the jaw is seen as the lever, while the TMJ is seen as the fulcrum. The question what is TMJ is normally asked by the patients when they see a doctor about mouth pain. The mouth pain can be as a result of Temporo- Mandibular joint disorder. According to research done by the American association of oral and maxillofacial surgeons, the TMJ disorders are not rare, and they are accompanied by various symptoms. The symptoms are; headaches, persistent ear pain, cheek or temple pain, jaw clicking and popping, difficulties in opening the mouths fully, locking of the jaw, and neck aches are common. These symptoms when noticed, a person should seek medical attention as one could be having problems with the TMJ.

Research has shown that when the cartilage that causes the stretching of sensory nerves is displaced, pain in the TMJ results. When the cartilage disc falls into place, popping or clicking happens, and spasm of the chewing muscles may occur and cause tenderness and pain. According to the American association of oral and maxillofacial surgeons, discovering the cause of TMJ disorder or pain is the first step in treating it. The question what is TMJ should be answered first before explaining to the patients what TMJ disorders or pain are, and what causes TMJ pain and disorder. Explaining what TMJ is, is the only way a specialist can explain to a patient that the pain in the ear is not caused by ear inflammations, but it is resulting from the mouth.

Temporo- Mandibular joint, what is TMJ? TMJ is the part which necessitates most movements and functions of the jaws. However, it is not without threats, faults and risks, and these are what cause TMJ disorders and pain. There are factors which contribute to mouth or TMJ pains, and they include; stress which lead to clenching and some psychological factors, excessive chewing of gums, grinding of the teeth also known as Bruxism, minor and major jaw traumas, and both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis inflammation of joints is very common in children, and it can erode bones, destroy the cartilage, and deform the TMJ in children.

Research shows that more women than men are likely to have Temporo- Mandibular joint pain, and that most of the symptoms recede after two weeks when the jaw joint recovers and rests as a result of inability to chew. What is TMJ? This is a question asked by many patients to the doctor when the pain in different places like the head, neck or ears is associated with TMJ. Another question that patients should ask the doctors is how can one treat TMJ disorder or pain? There are various options that can be used to relieve TMJ pains when at home. Ibuprofen, aspirin and Acetaminophen are anti- inflammatory medications for pain and they help ease the pain.

When faced with TMJ pains, a person is advised to eat a diet containing soft foods in order to avoid accelerating the disorder and pain. A gentle massage on the pain area as well as applying warm compresses is incredibly beneficial. Avoiding gum chewing and reducing stress are effective ways of reducing the TMJ disorders as well as the pain. A medical doctor can also fit a person with a bite plate or splint to reduce teeth clenching and grinding, and it also eases the muscle tension. TMJ cases of pain are mainly temporary, hence the home based pain relieve methods are opted, but if the pain or disorder persists, medical attention should be sought.

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Common TMJ Causes

TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) is a disorder that can affect people of all ages. It is a condition that develops when the Temporomandibular joint (the joint that connects the person's jawbone to their skull) does not function properly. Some people are affected on both sides of their head, while others experience problems only on one side.

People who have TMJ can experience a variety of different symptoms. Some of the most common include having a stiff jaw, constant ear pain, or pain that will not easily go away without some type of treatment. Many have problems when they are eating since the pain is often generated when they are chewing their food. Others may have consistent and nagging headaches and they are usually hard to treat and identify. Although these are some of the more common symptoms, there are other symptoms that have been reported by patients that have this condition.

Unfortunately, there are many identifiable causes of TMJ and they include an improper bite, the clenching or grinding of teeth, various kinds of arthritis, injuries, mistakes made during a dental or medical procedure, the overuse of the jaw, and stress.  These TMJ causes can make TMJ disorder much more likely than what would normally be expected.

As stated above, an improper bite is one of the main causes of TMJ, since the improper bite makes the person place excess stress on their chewing muscles. The chewing muscles are adversely affected because the individual's teeth are lined up incorrectly when they are eating. When this condition is not treated, the individual can experience a certain amount of pain along with muscle spasms around their jaw area. These alignment problems can also lead to the person's jaw sliding out of its socket.

The clenching and grinding of teeth can also cause this condition, especially because the clinching and grinding can wear away the individual's cartilage. This means, when the cartilage is worn down, the bone is rubbed on bone and it creates the symptoms of TMJ. Unfortunately, grinding of teeth normally occurs when the individual is asleep and they may not be aware that they are doing it. Some of the symptoms of grinding can be identified, however, by jaw pain and ear pain that cannot be easily explained. Dentists can also identify problems with grinding and clenching by examining the teeth for wear and tear signs.

In addition to clenching and grinding, arthritis is also one of the causes of TMJ. Degenerative arthritis and osteoarthritis in the jaw area are two of the types of arthritis that can lead to TMJ, specifically because they can cause the jawbone to be displaced or dislocated. When the jawbone is dislocated, the individual can begin hearing popping, grating and clicking sounds and they can also experience a lot of pain when they open or close their mouth.  Rheumatoid arthritis is also a major issue for many.  Some of these individuals have a higher risk of not being able to move their jaw at all.

Some dental and other medical procedures can be responsible for causing TMJ. For instance, if a patient has to have a breathing tube inserted into their mouth, the jaw is often fixed in a certain position for an extended amount of time. When this occurs, the patient can suffer from the overuse of that jawbone and TMJ may be the result.

Stress is also listed as a common cause of TMJ. This is one of the contributing factors because it can make an individual involuntarily tighten their facial muscles and jaw muscles, while they are also clenching their teeth together.

Once the person has identified the cause of TMJ, they can search for a viable solution. This is a very important step because the treatment that the person receives is based on the actual cause of the problem. For example, if the cause of the problem is an improper bite, the dentist can evaluate the problem and they may recommend a mandibular position device. Normally, when the doctor prescribes this type of device, the patient is instructed to wear them for a short timeframe in order to relieve the symptoms and pain that they are experiencing. On the other hand, if TMJ is caused by stress, the physician will usually recommend relaxation as well as other stress relieving techniques.

Resource:

If you enjoyed reading this article, we offer a number of different resources on our Sore Jaw Relief website. You can find additional articles such as this Gum Pain article.