
TMD and the Temporomandibular Joint.
Have you ever thought about how complex your temporomandibular joint is? This single joint connects the mandible (lower jaw) to the skull and is responsible for all jaw movement, including speaking and chewing. With that in mind, it’s not hard to imagine how a malfunction of this joint can cause all sorts of issues. Often, Midland residents with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD/TMJ) have no idea that their symptoms are all connected and stem from a single area. The problem is that most people don’t associate things like dizziness, migraine headaches, earaches, and/or neck pain with the jaw. After all, would you assume that headaches and jaw popping are related?
Here are a few more common symptoms of TMJ
- Abnormally sensitive teeth
- Painful chewing
- Popping, clicking, or grinding of the jaw
- Frequent dislocation or locking of the jaw
- Difficulty or pain in opening the mouth wide
- Neck pain and/or stiffness
- Earaches
- Ringing in the ears
Treatment
If you are experiencing these symptoms, you may have TMD. However, Dr. Randell Bell can help. By thoroughly examining your jaw and bite, we can identify problem areas and develop a treatment program that will return your jaw to its comfortable, natural state. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, feel free to give Health Centered Dentistry a call.
Sources
http://drc.hhs.gov/report/pdfs/section15-systematic.pdf
http://www.1800dentist.com/dental-news/women-tmj-sufferers/
http://tmj.org/site/blogs/tmj-disorders/2010-09-08