Cosmetic Dentistry Directory Blog
Cosmetic Dentistry Directory
Thursday, January 12, 2012
TMD Causes and Symptoms
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a condition that occurs when your jaw becomes misaligned. Your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull. It is one of the most complex joints in your body, and is responsible for many routine jaw functions such as chewing, talking, and yawning. When your jaw joint falls out of alignment, it can lead to a variety of painful, debilitating conditions which can adversely impact many areas of your life.
Medical professionals are currently unclear as to the exact cause of TMD. However, some potential causes may be:
- Injury to the jaw or TMJ from a heavy blow or whiplash
- Grinding your teeth
- Dislocation of the disc between the ball and socket of your TMJ
- Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the TMJ
- Stress
There are many potential symptoms of TMD, including:
- Pain in the jaw
- Clicking or popping sounds from the jaw joint
- Limited mobility of the jaw
- Uncomfortable bite
- Headaches
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Back pain
- Ringing in the ears
- Teeth grinding
- Difficulty swallowing or chewing
- Locking of the jaw in an open or closed position
- Facial aching
- Facial swelling
TMD can be effectively treated by the principles of neuromuscular dentistry, which seek to restore the jaw to its ideal resting place. Most dentists will cater their TMD treatment recommendations to the specific issues you are experiencing.
Please contact an experienced neuromuscular dentist in your area today to schedule a TMD evaluation.
posted by Andrew at 10:42 AM
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