TMJ Disorders

It is not unusual to hear a patient tell us they have “TMJ “or they think they may have “TMJ”.  TMJ is actually a joint that sits between the lower jaw and the skull and stands for temperomandibular joint. We each have a right TMJ and a left TMJ.  Anytime moveable bones in the body are in close proximity of each other they are connected by a joint that prevents bone to bone contact and creates a cushioning effect. The joint is lubricated which creates smoothly, freely moving and articulating bones. This joint is responsible for proper movement of the jaw and creating balanced muscular work load on the right and left side of your face. It is a highly complex joint which is under a lot of pressure constantly all day and night. So when a patient states they have “TMJ” because they have a problem such as headaches, pain in the joint or grinding of their teeth,  in actuality they have a temperomandibular joint disorder “TMD”.

The head, neck and muscular pain that is associated with TMD is sometimes called craniomandibular dysfunction. A dentist who is trained to treat this dysfunction studies Neuromuscular Dentistry. The approach is to create a balanced and physiologic craniomandibular system by addressing the head, neck, muscle and postural problems such as headache, teeth grinding, backaches, ear problems and numbness in fingertips that are associated with TMD. It is not unusual that a patient may see these other physical problems as seemingly unrelated to the functioning of their TMJ’s. Please refer to the Neuromuscular Dentistry section for a detailed discussion on these problems, how they are assessed and the treatment we recommend.