Heather Lawson-Myers - TOOTH TALK THE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR joint (TMJ) is the joint just in front of your ear. It joins the lower jaw (the mandible) to the rest of the head. You can have a TMJ disorder for a long time without realising it because some of its symptoms, such as worn teeth or headaches, may seem unrelated to your jaw joint.
Muscles and your bite (how your teeth come together) can also affect the way your TMJ functions. Some signs and symptoms of TMJ dysfunction syndrome are:-
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Soreness and stiffness of the jaw muscles in the morning
(due to clenching or grinding during the night)
Head and neck pain that worsens when clenching your teeth, increased clenching or grinding when stressed
Sensitive, loose, broken or worn teeth
Teeth that don't touch when you bite
Teeth meet differently from time to time
Difficulty chewing your food
Jaw clicks, pops or grates when you open your mouth
Trouble opening your mouth, eating or yawning
A history of trauma to your neck, head or jaw
Arthritis in other joints.
In a well-functioning TMJ, muscles should be relaxed, flexible and balanced. Teeth are well aligned in a balanced, stable bite. Both jaws must open and close comfortably and be free from damage due to injury or disease.
Around your jaw joint are groups of muscles that contract and relax so you can open and close your mouth, talk and chew. Your teeth form a bite so you can chew your food. Teeth are attached to your curved upper and lower jaw bones, which meet at your TMJ. The better aligned your teeth, the more stable your bite and TMJ will be. Like gears on a car, your TMJ has moving parts which allow your lower jaw to move. This allows you to open and close your mouth for talking, biting and chewing.
A problem with either the muscles, bite or joint will result in TMJ dysfunction syndrome. Muscle tension may also lead to joint stiffness, headaches and pain around your TMJ. Bite problems too can change the posture of your jaw. A joint problem, such as a displaced disc can cause clicking sounds or a "locked jaw".
A diagnosis of TMJ dysfunction syndrome has a better prognosis the earlier it is detected and treated.
Dr. Heather-Dawn Lawson Myers is the President of the Jamaica Dental Association (2003/4).
