Temporomandibular joint disorder, referred to as TMJ, is a disorder that causes problems with the facial muscles and jaw joints that a person uses to chew food. It is not known exactly what causes the disorder but?grinding of the teeth and wearing braces are often pointed to as causes. Poor posture could add to the symptoms of the disorder. If you sit putting a strain on the neck and face area, this could make symptoms worse around the muscles of the?face and teeth. It can be an excrusiating disorder that is often underdiagnosed.
Symptoms of TMJ disorder include headaches, earaches, difficulty chewing or swallowing, pain in the face, jaw pain, clicking or popping sounds when opening the mouth, inability to open or close?the mouth properly and headaches.?The tests used to diagnose TMJ are dental exams,?hands on joint manipulation, x-rays, and checking to see if there are clicking noises when a patient opens or closes the jaw.
Treatments varies and do not include surgery except in rare cases.?Health care professionals?have found that?patients are often worse off after surgery than they were before, so this type of treatment is not often used.?Using types of therapy is more commonly recommended.?
Applying hot and cold packs on the face, stress relieving exercises, avoiding yawning?or chewing gum,?the use of anti-inflammatory pain medications, muscle relaxants, and corticosteroid shots are some of the treatments applied. Mouth guards have also?been used since 1930 to correct this type of problem and can be quite effective for pain relief. There are several types of splints and the benefits from using them vary from person to person.?
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