TMJ Disorders

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint that connects the temporal bones of the skull. When you have a disorder the correct term is temporomandibular disorder/dysfunction (TMD), this refers to how the anatomy parts are working together. TMD occurs when there are problems with the muscles and jaws in the face.

Some of the most common TMD symptoms include:

• Pain in the face, jaw or ear area
• Headaches (often mimicking migraines), earaches, and pain and pressure behind the eyes
• A clicking or popping sound when opening or closing the mouth
• Jaw that “gets stuck,” locked or goes out of place
• Tenderness of the jaw muscles
• Swelling of the face

Our job is to diagnosis how the human anatomy is breaking-down in order to define the problem in neurological, vascular, muscle, cartilage and ligament terms. Some jaw problems are acute but the majority of jaw problems take a decade or more to surface. Function over time has a history and the patient’s history often is a big factor in arriving at the correct diagnosis.

Jaw joints heal and the treatments are effective and conservative!