What You Need to Know About TMJ Disorders

There are many medical conditions that affect a large number of the population but most of them go ignored because people either don't know what they are or they just choose to suffer silently. One of them affects the temporomandibular joint or otherwise known as TMJ disorders. For those unfamiliar with the term, the temporomandibular joint connects the jaw to the rest of the skull and is responsible for opening and closing the mouth.

Many people experience pain and difficulty when opening their mouths which are positive signs of disorder on the TMJ. But because there is very little public information out there about this kind of condition, they are forced to endure it hoping it will go away on its own. What they don't realize is that TMJ disorders like this are either a sign of something more serious or could lead to further damage if left undiagnosed or untreated.

These disorders are not just caused by injury or damage to the joint itself. Surrounding areas and parts like the jaw, facial and neck muscles, teeth, cartilage disk at the joint, ligaments and blood vessels can affect function. It's important to know what the usual causes for these conditions are in order to help people avoid suffering from them.

The most common source of TMJ disorders is extreme physical trauma to the joint that causes it to not be in alignment or worse, break apart. This usually happens to people who experience accidents or blows to the jaw or head. Teeth grinding is also a common cause as well as other oral conditions like deformed teeth that require correction using braces. Also, dentures that are poorly done can cause these problems to occur.

Degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis also play a big role for people who suffer from diminished TMJ function. Unhealthy habits like excessive gum chewing and biting big chunks of food also contribute to formation of the disorder. The symptoms of this condition often involve difficulty in biting or chewing food, clicking sound when opening the mouth, dull pain in the face, migraine, hearing loss, neck and shoulder pain. People who suspect they show any of these signs should visit an Oral Surgeon or even their own physician.

TMJ disorders and its treatments vary depending on how it's diagnosed. But usually it involves realignment or corrective measures like exercise and therapy. If it's caused by a disease or any illness, treatment will slowly reduce symptoms until TMJ function returns to normal. Surgery is usually only reserved for extreme cases like accident victims.