If you have been experiencing unrelenting jaw pain and are not sure what is TMJ disorder, it may be time to make an appointment with your dentist to determine if TMJ could be the source of your ongoing discomfort. Some patients that see a dentist shortly after the onset of symptoms may only experience TMJ disorder for a limited time of up to a couple of weeks or more. Patients that either let the symptoms progress or have a more severe case could find TMJ disorder to be a more chronic condition.

What exactly does TMJ mean?

The acronym TMJ comes from the affected joint, the temporomandibular joint, which is found adjacent to each ear and allows the mandible bone to move vertically and horizontally as well as forward and backward. This joint is where the jaw connects to the skull and is comprised of the masseter and temporalis muscles. The masseter muscle is use primarily for chewing and is connected to the TMJ. The temporalis muscle facilitates speaking and chewing.

A disorder of the temporomandibular joint, usually referred to as TMD for temporomandibular disorder, can occur if related bones or muscles are not in alignment. This may result in intense jaw pain and may severely impact daily activities such as speaking and chewing.

TMJ is most often characterized by:

• The clicking or popping of the jaw when using the mouth to chew
• Jaw pain that can radiate out to adjacent areas when opening the mouth
• The tendency for the jaw to lock up or swell
• Earaches, headaches, and toothaches
• Tinnitus (ringing of the ears)

What Can Cause TMJ Disorder?

Despite the commonality of TMJ disorder, scientists have not yet been able to determine exactly what causes the condition. However, they do believe that certain conditions such as the following could be contributing causes of jaw pain:

• Clenching of the jaw or related muscles due to experiencing chronic stress
• Grinding teeth (whether awake or sleeping)
• Arthritis in the temporomandibular joint
• Poor bite alignment
• Injury

Regardless of what is causing your jaw pain, you could also potentially be doing one or more common activities that might just make your TMJ disorder worse. These can include chewing gum or hard food or items, biting your nails, clenching your teeth, using your teeth to open bags or remove clothing tags, and even sleeping on your stomach.

There is also some growing evidence that TMJ disorders can be more common among women than men.

How TMJ Can Be Diagnosed

If you suspect that you could be experiencing TMJ disorder, it is important to see your Kingwood dentist as soon as possible to keep the condition from deteriorating.

At your appointment, the dentist or hygienist will likely collect information about the symptoms you may be enduring, which is generally followed by a physical examination of the jaw that could include the following:

• Opening and closing the mouth for evidence of clicking or locking
• Checking the individual’s bite alignment
• Taking x-rays of the temporomandibular joint as well as the teeth and jaw

Depending on the outcome of these initial steps, your dentist may also order additional testing in the form of a CT scan or MRI. These steps may be able to provide the dentist with a more complete picture of the temporomandibular joint alignment.

Once a diagnosis of TMJ disorder is made, the dentist will review potential treatment plans with you.

Potential Solutions for TMJ Disorder

Jaw pain treatment for TMJ disorders depend heavily on a patient’s symptoms, the severity of them, and their impact on daily activities such as chewing and speaking.

For some people with relatively minor cases, a dentist may suggest anti-inflammatory and nonsteroidal over the counter medications intended to ease jaw pain and swelling, timed and repetitive use of temperature controlled (hot and cold) packs, consumption of soft foods, or a combination of all three.

In addition, a dentist may also offer you tips on posture and body positioning for jaw pain relief. For example, they may ask you to refrain from chewing gum and ice, yawning, clenching your teeth, and sleeping on your stomach. Even practicing good posture can help put less pressure on the jaw and temporomandibular joint.

Because many cases of TMJ disorder can be traced to chronic stress, your dentist may give you some suggestions on how to ease stress. This could include a number of different methods including meditation, massage, acupuncture or physical therapy.

However, if a person’s TMJ disorder is more severe or does not respond well to the above efforts, a dentist could recommend a different course of treatment such as muscle relaxers to relieve the tightness in facial muscles, Botox injections for jaw pain, or even a night guard to deter grinding or clenching of the teeth while sleeping. If certain dental procedures such as installing bridges, crowns, or braces could assist with treatment, your dentist may suggest moving forward with them.

Botox for jaw pain is becoming a common treatment for some TMJ disorders. These injections contain botulinum toxin Type A which helps relax the adjacent muscles. When Botox injections are given, it may reduce both pain and spasms occurring in the muscles. The relief Botox injections offer is temporary, so they may need to be repeated several times over the course of weeks or months.

The time it will take to effectively manage or potentially eliminate symptoms depends on the patient’s unique condition and the effectiveness of treatments. The timeline for healing can be different for each patient.

Now that you know what TMJ disorder is, along with the common symptoms associated with it, it is important to follow up with your Kingwood dentist for a proper diagnosis. Whether you have clicking in the jaw when eating, locking of the jaw when yawning, or are experiencing other symptoms related to TMD, make a dental appointment to see if pain relief could be just one phone call away.