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What is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJD)?

‘That’ pain in your jaw stopping you from chewing properly, or worse still, talking comfortably… While it’s tempting to write it off as a toothache, or sinus issue, it could in fact be Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or TMJD for short. 

So now you’re likely wondering – what is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder? If so, you’ve come to the right place, or the right blog post at least! 

TMJD is a group of conditions that cause pain and discomfort in the joints connecting your jaw to your skull. So today we’re talking all things TMJD-related – what causes it, the symptoms, and, most importantly, exploring some simple lifestyle hacks to help provide relief and manage the condition.

The Temporomandibular Joint and TMJ Dysfunction

The temporomandibular joints (you have 2 of them) are located on each side of your head in front of your ears. They act as very clever sliding hinges, connecting your free moving jawbone to your skull.

So, whether you’re eating your favourite meal or chatting with a friend, these joints need to function normally. 

When they don’t, you’ll likely experience pain, tenderness, and other complications. These are collectively referred to as TMJ dysfunction or disorder, or simply TMJD. 

TMJD can adversely impact your everyday life so it’s important to identify and treat it correctly.

Types of TMJD

There are 3 main types of TMJD. Identifying which one you have can make a huge difference in finding relief! 

Muscular or myofascial pain 

Muscular or myofascial pain related TMJD is the result of tightness or pain in the muscles that control your jaw. It’s often brought on by stress or overuse of these muscles.

If you clench your jaw a lot for instance – and you may not realise you’re doing it – you tighten these muscles, stressing and overusing them. Over time, this can lead to chronic jaw tightness and pain.

Acute dysfunction 

Acute’ means sudden and severe. In relation to TMJD, it usually means you’ve had some type of jaw injury, or perhaps you grind your teeth (bruxism). Either way, the trauma can structurally damage the TM joint itself, resulting in pain and discomfort.

Structural 

Structural changes to your jaw can cause pain and swelling, and make it hard to move your jaw properly. Osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, and dentition changes or malocclusion are some common culprits.

5 Common Causes of TMJD

If you’re a habitual jaw clencher or teeth grinder, someone at some stage has probably told you not to do it! For good reason, these habits can contribute to TMJ problems. However, TMJD can happen for various other reasons too, including some psychological ones, so here are 5 common causes of TMJ dysfunction:

  1. Arthritis (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid) can cause degeneration and inflammation within the TMJ.
  2. Jaw Injury, like a sports injury or sudden impact to your jaw, can damage the jaw itself, the TM joints, or the masticatory muscles around the joint. Or all 3.
  3. Bruxism or Malocclusion (teeth grinding or poor teeth alignment) apply unnatural stress and pressure to your TM joint and can result in overuse and dysfunction.
  4. Connective Tissue Diseases such as Scleroderma (an autoimmune disease that thickens and hardens skin and connective tissues), and Lupus (another autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs including skin and connective tissues) can cause abnormalities in the tissues surrounding the jawbone, increasing the risk of TMJD.
  5. Stress can cause muscle tension in your jaw, which may then contribute to TMJD. A 2023 study for example found that 78% of the participants (who all had TMJD) also had higher than normal stress levels. This suggests there is some correlation between the two.

What Are the Symptoms of TMJD?

TMJD can be tricky to diagnose because it shares symptoms with other conditions. There are, however, some telltale signs you may be dealing with TMJD. They include:

  • Jaw pain or tenderness
  • Clicking sounds when you move your jaw
  • Headaches
  • Neck tightness
  • Normal jaw movement such as chewing is difficult
  • Ear pain
  • Facial pain that can spread to the face or neck

Treatment for Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD)

We touched on this above, when we mentioned that knowing which type of TMD you’re dealing with can make a difference in how it’s treated… Typically, though, treatment for temporomandibular disorder includes a combination of medication and lifestyle changes.

The aim is to alleviate your symptoms to reduce pain and discomfort, improve jaw function, and ultimately, prevent more damage.

You can also work on some simple changes yourself to help ease or prevent TMJD.

Stress Management

If you have stress-related issues that are contributing to TMJD, then learning to manage them is an important step. Start with some mindfulness, yoga, and relaxation exercises. 

Lifestyle Changes

Avoid activities that can exacerbate TMJD, such as eating hard-to-chew foods or wide yawning. These are small changes but they could pay off long term for helping with TMJD. 

Reducing your caffeine intake can also help reduce stress and muscle tension! 

Jaw Exercises 

Try doing some regular jaw exercises to help strengthen, relax, and improve mobility in your jaw. 

How Do Healthcare Providers Diagnose Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD)? 

Your healthcare provider will first try to gain a good understanding of your medical history. They may then conduct a physical examination to ascertain that it is TMJD and not something else with similar symptoms.

Imaging tests – X-rays, MRI scans – can also help pinpoint structural problems with your jaw and surrounding tissues.

Conclusion: What is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJD)?

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or Dysfunction (TMJD) refers to a collection of conditions that affect the normal function of 2 small sliding hinge joints that attach your jaw to your skull.

Although the causes can lie with changes within the joints themselves (i.e. arthritic changes or structural damage), TMJD can also be caused by problems with the surrounding musculature, your jaw, or dentition changes or deformities. 

Therefore, a correct diagnosis of the underlying cause is important for effective treatment. Catching it early before it leads to further damage and pain.

Gerard Haughey

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