TMJ Pain- temporomandibular joint dysfunction symptoms
What is TMJ Disorder?
TMJ, or the temporomandibular joint, is the joint that connects your skull with the lower jaw. In the facial skeleton, your lower jaw or mandible is the only movable bone. This movement is possible because of TMJ. TMJ comprises various muscles, ligaments, and supporting structures, making it a smoothly working joint.
Any pain or discomfort in the TMJ or surrounding areas is called temporomandibular joint disorder or TMD. At Advanced Dental Clinic Delhi, our experts will carefully examine your case both clinically and radiologically before formulating a customized treatment plan.
In the information provided below, we will briefly discuss the symptoms of TMD – brought to you by Advanced Dental Clinic Delhi.
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction symptoms
Facial pain
The pain can be sharp, shooting, or dull in nature. It starts from the joint in front of the ear and radiates towards the temple region. It is often triggered by chewing or excessive jaw movement.
Ear pain
The jaw pain can radiate towards the ear. It may be associated with a ringing sensation or tinnitus.
Jaw dysfunction
The jaw pain can be accompanied by a clicking or popping sound while doing normal jaw movement.
Other symptoms- Temporomandibular joint dysfunction symptoms
- Lower jaw muscle pain
- Eye pain
- Dizziness
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Poor sleep
Causes of TMJ Disorder
- Misalignment teeth
- Poor head and neck posture
- Direct Trauma to the joint
- Teeth grinding or bruxism
- Direct trauma to the teeth leads to indirect stress on TMJ
- Psychological factors like stress, anxiety, and depression
- Sleep apnea is an indirect contributor
- The structural problem with the jaw anatomy that does not allow smooth movement
Treatment options for TMJ pain
Treatment options vary from self-care practices to surgical interventions. There are three broad categories of treatment options available to relieve TMJ pain. We have discussed each category in brief.
Conservative management
- Application of moist heat or cold packs- cold packs work well in acute pain, whereas warm application after exercises helps better.
- Performing simple TMJ stretching exercises- a few easy and effective exercises can be done at home to relieve the pain.
- Eat soft food items- avoiding hard and crunchy foods can prevent the triggering of TMJ pain.
- Medications to relieve the pain- painkillers can temporarily relieve the pain, but if the pain is recurrent, you need to get a thorough dental checkup done
- Wear mouthguards in case of bruxism- wearing night guards prevents upper and lower teeth from coming in contact and also puts the jaw in a more favorable position.
- Correction of dental abnormalities triggering the pain- correcting dental conditions like missing teeth and correcting the bite using orthodontic measures also help improve the symptoms of TMJ pain.
- Avoiding extreme jaw movements like yawning and opening your mouth to the extreme
Surgical management
Surgery is always kept as a last resort. Surgical procedures are incorporated when all other treatments fail to relieve the TMJ pain. The type of surgical procedure depends mainly on the cause and severity of the problem.