At the base of the skull, there is a joint called the temporomandibular joint. It permits the movement needed for chewing and speaking and is frequently referred to as the TMJ. The joint joins the temporal bone, which is on the side of the head, and the mandible, which is the lower jaw.
TMJ is an abbreviation that is also in use to refer to many jaw-related medical problems. These conditions may result in joint discomfort, facial or jaw pain when opening the mouth wide, and stiffness in joints. Although many disorders are curable, there is a wide range of potential causes. That can make the diagnosis hard.
It might be challenging to find what causes TMJ because many variables such as heredity, arthritis, and jaw trauma can result in pain.
Most of the time, self-managed care or nonsurgical TMJ treatments can make the pain and suffering put on by Temporomandibular joint issues go away. Although surgery is usually only used as a last option when all other options have failed, certain TMJ disease sufferers may benefit from surgical therapy.
Here are discussed all the possible TMJ disorders, causes, and treatments.
Inflammation
Direct trauma, such as an accident to the chin or jaw, indirect trauma, such as whiplash, hard biting, teeth grinding (bruxism), jaw clenching, or loss of dental height due to broken or missing teeth can all cause inflammatory issues in the joint.
Internal damage to joint structure
Structure changes within the joint are known as internal derangement conditions. It can result from direct trauma, like a blow to the jaw or falling on the chin, indirect trauma, like a whiplash injury, long-term clenching or grinding, excessive chewing, or prolonged mouth opening, such as during a dental operation or general anesthetic.
Arthritis
TMJ degenerative arthritis is a possibility. On a simple x-ray or an orthopantomogram (OPG), it frequently appears as a flattening of the condylar head, usually with some osteophytic development. Crepitus is often audible or palpable using a stethoscope. It might be a result of trauma from childhood when the person was younger or age-related degeneration, which is present in those over 50.
Hypermobility
The jaw and articular disc may slip too far forward due to hypermobility. It causes the jaw to turn away from the affected side. Typically, the TMJ makes some clicking noises and may or may not cause jaw pain. Conditions including Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, as well as connective tissue diseases like Marfan syndrome, may be linked to hypermobility. Long-term hypermobility might lengthen and deteriorate the articular disc.
Fracture
Mandibular symphysis and condylar necks are frequent sites for fractures of the mandible. Mandibular symphysis fractures are also present with fractures or dislocations of one or both condyles. A fall on the chin or a hit to the jaw may cause injury. It can cause jaw and ear pain on one side and headaches.
How to Fix TMJ?
TMJ problems can result from a wide range of factors and you can treat them in different ways. Usually, a TMJ specialist in Tupelo would recommend beginning with home remedies. You can also consult a dentist in Tupelo to understand how to relax your jaw and ways to get relief from jaw pain.
Additional research is still required to demonstrate the effectiveness of many more complex treatments for the Temporomandibular joints.
A Final Word
Most Temporomandibular joint issues are not very problematic and will go away in a few months. In most cases, symptoms of TMJ are minor and rarely significantly bother people.
TMJ issues can, however, occasionally be severe and persistent. Treatment or cure for TMJ issues usually requires professional consent that you can get from a Tupelo dentist, regardless of the joint condition.