TMJ Disorder

TMJ is the joint where the mandible or lower jaw joins with the skull bone. TMJ is involved in chewing, yawning and talking. You can feel this joint with fingers as a triangular part on both sides of your head just in front of the ear. It is the most used joint in our body. It is made up of muscles, tendons and bones. Relaxation of the muscle allows opening and closing of the mouth.

Causes:

1. Arthritis: It is the common cause of TMJ disorder in old age.


2. Bruxism or teeth grinding causes damage to the TMJ cartilage.


3. Malocclusion or malalignment of denture creates abnormal pressure on the joint.


4. Injuries to the jaws


5. Occupation related: TMJ disorders are often seen in people who keep the telephone between head and shoulder while talking.

Symptoms:

The common symptom TMJ disorder include; pain and tenderness in the jaw and areas near the ear, difficulty in eating and talking, locked jaw (unable to open and close the mouth), malocclusion (uneven bite). The patient may also feel discomfort in the ear like fullness or ringing in the ear. Head ache and facial pain are also associated with TMJ disorders.

Immediately consult a doctor if there is constant pain in the jaws and not able to open and close the mouth properly.

Treatment of TMJ disorders

A thorough medical and dental evaluation is needed before proceeding into the treatment plan. When there is clicking or grating sounds with the movements of jaws, a damaged jaw is suspected. Diagnostic methods like dental x-rays, CT scans, etc are used to find out the reasons like ear, sinus and tooth infection. Treatment options include;

Resting the jaw: Patients should avoid food that requires deep biting or chewing. For example, stuffs like nuts, raw vegetable, etc requires more biting pressure. Cold application to the affected side helps to reduce muscle spasm. The doctor may advise the patient to take Anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxants and anesthetic medications. Orthodontic treatment is needed if the problem is due to abnormal bite. In extreme cases of jpoint damage, surgery is indicated.