TMD is not just one disorder, but several disorders that affect the jaw joint and the muscles that control chewing. The pain can be as minor as slight clicking to popping sensations when the mouth is opened or closed, or as serious as chronic pain extending into the face, neck and shoulders.
As a rule, discomfort from TMD is occasional and not permanent, sometimes occurring in cycles. The pain tends to eventually go away with little or no treatment. Although no one knows for sure how many people are affected by a TMD disorder, they seem to affect more women than men.
Causes of TMD
While exact causes are unknown, it is believed that the following are contributing factors:
Head trauma
Head or neck injuries
Lost teeth and arthritis in the jaw joint
Misaligned or unstable bite can lead to muscles not working properly
Jaw muscles working improperly may result in the muscles going into spasm
Mental or physical stress can cause or make TMJ worse
Clenching or grinding your teeth at night can tire jaw muscles and lead to pain
Frequent headaches
Symptoms of TMD
Tenderness of jaw muscles
Clicking or popping noises when opening or closing mouth
Difficulty or pain when opening mouth
Facial or jaw pain
Ringing ears
Jaw sticking or locking up
Frequent headaches
Pain in or around the ear
One of the ways we can treat patients experiencing TMJ disorders, is by making a custom fit nightguard, or appliance.
A nightguard is a thin piece of plastic made from impressions of your teeth placed on the upper or lower teeth. The nightguard is hard enough to be durable, but since it is softer than teeth it will protect them from wear. When the nightguard is tried in, it is adjusted to fit your bite evenly and smoothly. This appointment may take a while, but it is very important that the fit of the night guard be just right.
You need to wear the night guard each night for it to work properly. It takes a few nights to get adjusted to, but it is usually comfortable to wear.
