TMJTempro-Mandibular Joint TMJ (Tempro-Mandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome) is a condition created by the combination of a bad bite and stress.
The patient with TMJ (also referred to as TMD) usually experiences grinding of the teeth, jaw joint pain, headaches, ringing in the ears, or any number of other related symptoms.
Sometimes, in severe cases, the person with TMJ will be unable to open his or her mouth wide, or will hear clicking, cracking or a "pop" upon opening. Often, patients report the onset of TMJ occurring with some sort of unusual stress, such as final exams, or job-related issues, or a severe blow to the jaw, such as from athletics or an automobile accident. Sometimes these patients will seek treatment from their general physician, or an "ear-nose-and-throat" specialist, before coming to the dentist to be seen. **************************** Dental Resources NEW! CLICK HERE to make an appointment.
**************************** Understanding TMJ To understand TMJ, it's helpful to know a little bit about the joint itself. The Tempro-Mandibular Joint has two main components: 1. The major muscle group.
The major muscles involving the TMJ are the masseter and the temporalis. When these large muscles are in spasm, the patient is often unable to open their mouth, and is sometimes in excruciating pain. This can lead to neck pain, dizziness and many other related symptoms. 2. The minor muscles.
A closer look at the joint itself reveals various ligaments, smaller muscle groups and a piece of cartilage known as the meniscus. It is this meniscus, which normally acts as a buffer between the jaw and the skull, that gets damaged during TMJ difficulties. The click or pop that patients hear when they open their mouths wide is due to an injury to this cartilage.
Treatment Options
Treatment for TMJ can involve one or more of the following:
When treated early, TMJ can be controlled and the potential damage to the teeth and jaw joint can be minimized. When left untreated, TMJ can erode the health of the jaw joint, prevent proper chewing, and cause looseness of teeth.
Additional Resources and Links
A very useful resource for more information about TMJ can be found at
www.tmj.org. This Web site is dedicated
exclusively to TMJ conditions and treatment solutions.
Another excellent resource is The American Academy of Craniofacial
Pain at www.aacfp.org. This Web site has
a ton of information on TMJ and TMD. And, for those who don't live near our
Mountain View, California dental office, there is a directory of other dentists
worldwide whom you may contact for an examination.
An herbal product called Serenitol
www.serenitol.com is available for systemic relief. This supplement is
designed to relax muscles and is apparently useful for TMJ and sleep
disorders such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
Another product, TheraFlex TMJ www.nabobrx.com
is now available for muscle relaxation and TMJ relief. I have not used this with
any patients yet, but am meeting with the sales representative soon and will
have a full report within a few days. Additional Subjects of Interest
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Questions? Or you may contact me online, and I will try to get back to you within 24 hours. Or, call our office at 650-965-1234 and make an examination appointment. Call today! Dr. Burch P. S. For even more information...
Please visit our patient education page,
select either "Patient Education" or "Dental Health Guides," and type either TMJ or TMD
into the search box.
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