TMJ disorders Health

Alternative Names

TMD; Temporomandibular joint disorders

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

There are two matching temporomandibular joints -- one on each side of your head, located just in front of your ears. The abbreviation "TMJ" literally refers to the joint but is often used to mean any disorders or symptoms of this region.

Many TMJ-related symptoms are caused by the effects of physical and emotional stress on the structures around the joint. These structures include: disk at the joint

• Muscles of the jaw, face, and neck
• Nearby ligaments, and nerves
• Teeth

For example, daily stress can lead you to clench and grind your teeth, both during the day and at night while you sleep. Clenching means you tightly clamp your top and bottom teeth together, especially the back teeth. The stressful force of clenching causes pressure on the muscles, tissues, and other structures around your jaw.

Many people who clench also Grinding is when you slide your teeth over each other, generally in a sideways, back-and-forth movement. This action may wear down your teeth and can be noisy enough at night to bother sleeping partners.

can also be an important factor in TMJ. For example, holding the head forward while looking at a computer all day strains the muscles of the face and neck.

Other factors that might make TMJ symptoms worse are stress, poor and lack of sleep.

All of these stresses can result in "trigger points" -- contracted muscles and in your jaw, head, and neck. Trigger points can refer pain to other areas, causing a earache, or

Other possible causes of TMJ-related symptoms include, dislocations, and structural problems present since birth.

Symptoms

• Biting or chewing difficulty or discomfort
• Clicking sound while chewing or opening the mouth
• Dull, aching pain in the face
• Grating sensation while chewing
• Jaw pain or tenderness of the jaw
• Reduced ability to open or close the mouth

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