TMJ disorders affect multiple systems in the body, including the vascular, digestive, endocrine, immune, muscular, nervous, and respiratory systems. Understanding tmj meaning is essential in diagnosing and treating the condition, as it involves the temporomandibular joint. Doctors treat the condition with various methods, based on what they know about how the joint works.
Some things that make a difference include eating soft foods, avoidance of wide yawning and chewing gum, and practicing relaxation techniques to reduce stress. A muscle relaxant may help if you clench or grind your teeth.
Causes
There’s no single cause for TMJ pain and dysfunction. It can be caused by a misalignment of the jaw or changes to the way teeth fit together, an injury to the head or neck, or arthritis. It’s also common for muscles in the jaw, head, and neck to become tight and develop trigger points, which refer pain to other areas of the body.
TMJ disorders affect the temporomandibular joints, which are located on each side of your face in front of your ears. These joints connect your lower jawbone to the skull, helping you chew and speak.
The most serious symptoms may require more intensive treatment, like mouth guards or surgery. But mild to moderate TMJ symptoms can usually be relieved with conservative treatments, such as resting the jaw, avoiding hard or sticky foods, and stress management techniques. You should also try to avoid clenching or grinding your teeth. Research suggests that this can worsen your TMJ symptoms.
Symptoms
The temporomandibular joints (TMJs) are in front of each ear and connect the lower jaw to the skull. When a TMJ disorder occurs, it may cause pain in or around the mouth, trouble opening and closing the jaw, or clicking or popping noises when chewing or talking.
Symptoms might also include jaw stiffness, headache or earache, pain in the cheek or temple, or neck stiffness. TMJ disorders are most likely to happen to women and people assigned female at birth, but can affect anyone.
Treatment for TMJ starts with conservative, reversible remedies that don’t invade the jaw or face tissues or require surgery. Your child might be given a soft or hard device to wear that fits over the teeth (occlusal appliances), for example, and the dentist might give your child exercises to stretch and strengthen the jaw muscles. In addition to avoiding activities that irritate the TM joint and muscles, such as chewing gum or clenching the teeth, doctors might prescribe pain relievers and muscle relaxants for a few days or weeks.
Diagnosis
The temporomandibular joints (TMJs) are located on each side of your head, in front of your ears. They connect your lower jaw to your skull and help you move your mouth during chewing, eating, speaking, etc. TMJ disorders affect these joints and the muscles around them.
TMD is difficult to diagnose, because symptoms vary from person to person. However, your doctor can examine you and ask questions to learn more about your TMJ pain and discomfort. They might also order imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans or an MRI to see the inside of your TMJ and surrounding areas.
Most TMJ disorders can be treated successfully with at-home remedies, such as changing posture or reducing stress. Injections of a pain reliever or a steroid into the joint can help reduce inflammation and ease your symptoms. A few people may need a more aggressive treatment, such as surgery or TMJ implants. But these treatments should only be used after trying more conservative approaches first.
Treatment
Medications and physical therapy can help alleviate symptoms. Surgery is rarely needed. Taking precautions against habits that aggravate TMJ, such as not chewing gum or using your teeth as tools (such as biting down on clothing tags), can also help.
TMJ disorders can be temporary or chronic, causing pain and difficulty opening your mouth. They can affect one or both sides of your face. TMDs can be caused by injury to the jaw or joint, or by a change in how your teeth fit together (malocclusion). Women and people assigned female at birth are twice as likely to develop TMDs than men and those assigned male at birth. People between the ages of 20 and 40 are most often affected.
Some doctors have found that a minimally invasive procedure called arthrocentesis — in which a doctor inserts a needle into the jaw joint to flush fluid through it and remove inflammatory byproducts of inflammation — can improve symptoms in those with severe TMDs. Another treatment showing promise is prolotherapy, in which the doctor injects a solution into the area that causes irritation with the hope of triggering your body’s natural response to repair the joint and muscle.