Temporomandibular Joint Disease - Symptoms Causes and Treatment of Temporomandibular Joints Disease

Temporomandibular Joints Disease is a term used to describe an arthritic condition of the temporomandibular joint in the jaw.

The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) connect the lower jaw, or mandible, to the temporal bones at the sides of the head. These joints are flexible, allowing the jaw to move smoothly up and down and side to side, and enabling us to talk, chew, and yawn. TMJ dysfunction involves face pain, clicking sounds in the TMJ, and limited movement of the jaw. About 33 percent of the population has TMJ dysfunction, and as many as 75 percent have some symptoms.

This imperfection puts pressure on your jaw joint, which in turn causes spasm in the muscles involved in moving your jaw. Your brain gets a message that something is causing pain, but because that message travels over the same nerve that carries messages about ear pain, there is some confusion. In a case like this, you have what is called referred pain. The jaw is so close to the ear, in other words, that you can't tell whether the pain is coming from your ear or from your jaw joint.

Causes of Temporomandibular Joints Disease

The only definitive cause of TMJ dysfunction is a severe injury, such as a heavy blow, to the jaw or temporomandibular joint. Other possible causes include the following.

• A bad bite (malocclusion)
• Orthodontic treatment, such as braces and the use of headgear
• Jaw clicking, which is more likely the sign of a displaced disk
• Stress, which may cause or aggravate TMJ dysfunction. People with TMJ dysfunction often clench or grind their teeth at night, which can tire the jaw muscles and lead to pain.

Symptoms of Temporomandibular Joints Disease

Common symptoms include facial pain, joint popping or locking, pain with chewing, and inability to completely open or close the mouth.

Treatment of Temporomandibular Joints Disease

Treatment will include the use of anti-inflammatory agents (ibuprofen) and rest to the joint (liquid diet). Muscle relaxants may be helpful in some cases. Warm compresses applied to the painful and swollen area can help. Mouth inserts, or splints, have been used in more severe cases to reduce the inflammation and swelling. An Oral Surgeon is the expert in the management of this relatively common problem.