|
Common symptoms
-
dull, aching
pain around the ear, often radiating into the face, neck,
back of the head, and shoulders.
-
certain types of
headaches, sometimes of migraine proportions.
-
ringing in the
ears, hearing loss, "plugged" ears, ear pain.
-
tenderness of
the jaw muscles.
-
clicking or
popping noises when opening or closing the mouth.
-
difficulty
opening the mouth or chewing, locking of jaws open or
closed.
The
temporomandibular joints are the hinges located on either side
of the face that connect the lower jaw to the skull. Each
temporomandibular joint has two sections that permit the hinge
and gliding actions needed to open the mouth widely.
The joints work in
concert with the facial bones and five pairs of muscles to allow
opening and closing of the mouth and forward, backward, and
side-to-side movements of the lower jaw. Any disturbance of this
facial symphony can trigger the cycle characteristic of TMJ
disorders: muscles and joints not working together
correctly-causing muscle spasm-which produces pain, muscle
tenderness, and tissue damage.
What causes
TMJ?
TMJ can be caused by
many things. Some of the more common things are malocclusion or
problems in the way the teeth fit together, a blow to the jaw or
head, clenching or grinding of the teeth, arthritis of the jaw,
poorly fitting dentures, yawning for prolonged periods with the
mouth open too wide, recent dental work, accidents that damage
facial bones or the jaw, extraction of teeth or missing back
teeth, birth trauma due to delivery complications, and traction
involving the head, jaws, and neck.
The most common TMJ
disorder originates in the jaw muscles and is called myofacial
pain dysfunction (MPD). MPD strikes three times as many women as
men - usually those between 20 and 40 years old - and results
from a tendency to deal with tension and stress by clenching or
grinding the teeth. These habits can tire the muscles and
trigger spasms, producing pain, more spasms and, eventually, a
TMJ disorder. MPD sufferers may or may not have problems with
their bite.
Because this
disorder mimics so many other condition, diagnosis may be
complicated. Many people may spend a great deal of time and
money searching for the source of their symptoms. If your
physician cannot find any underlying conditions, he could
consider the possibility of TMJ and recommend that you consult a
dentist that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ
disorders.
TMJ: mimics
other diseases
Chronic recurrent
headaches as well as facial and neck pain are a common
occurrence in millions of people. In addition, people frequently
suffer from ear symptoms including pain, ringing, buzzing, loss
of hearing or clicking or locking of the jaw which can make
chewing, speaking or moving the jaw painful or difficult.
Until recently these
symptoms, apparently unrelated, were frequently undiagnosed or
misdiagnosed as migraine, tension headache, neuritis, neuralgia,
or stress. When standard treatment remedies for these types of
disorders proved unsuccessful, patients were frequently labeled
as hypochondriacs, "it's all in your head", or
neurotic.
Today, it is well
recognized by certain practitioners within the Health Care
Community that these often unexplained, undiagnosed and
therefore untreated symptoms are related to a group of problems
called, Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD). Practitioners with
proper training and diagnostic skills, are able to pin point the
cause of these symptoms and provide relief of symptoms which may
have been present for years.
If you suffer from
one or all of these symptoms, this web site has help for you.
This web site is filled with information about your disorder and
help guide you in the selection of a health care professional
who has received advanced training in the diagnosis and
treatment of head, neck, facial pain and temporomandibular joint
disorders.
A closer look at TMD
A question that is
frequently asked is what exactly is TMD? TMD or
Temporomandibular Disorders are a group of maladies which can
effect the temporomandibular joints, (the jaw joints located
immediately in front of your ears), the associated muscles of
the jaw, face and neck, as well as related neurological and
vascular structures.
Problems within this
complex can produce a myriad of symptoms which, at first glance,
might appear to be totally unrelated to the jaw complex. These
symptoms can include headaches (over the eye, in the temples,
behind the eyes, and at the base of the skull), generalized
facial pain as well as more specific pain directly in front of
the ears, ear symptoms including ringing, buzzing, congestion,
as well as pain. In addition neck and shoulder pain as well as
clicking or grating noises of the jaw joint with movement,
locking of the jaw or pain in the jaw with function are
frequently encountered.
Craniomandibular
Dysfunction is a dental term, which describes a
collection of symptoms, which result when the chewing muscles
and jaw joints do not work together correctly. "TMJ"
is a popular term commonly used to describe the same group of
symptoms. TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joints. These are the
two joints that connect your jaw to your skull. When these
joints are out of place, they can cause many problems, such as:
-
Clicking or
popping of the jaw joints.
-
Pain in or
around the jaw joints.
-
Locking or
limited opening of your mouth.
Muscle spasm goes
hand-in-hand with displaced jaw joints. Because the nerves and
muscles are so complex in this area, when these muscles are in
spasm the problems can be far-reaching. People suffer from
symptoms they would never think to associate with their bite,
such as:
-
Headaches.
-
Pain behind the
eyes.
-
Dizziness,
nausea.
-
Earaches or
ringing of the ears (Tinnitis).
-
Clenching or
grinding of the teeth.
-
Neck, shoulder,
or back pain.
-
Numbness, or
tingling of the fingers.
-
Hearing loss.
Such symptoms may
relate to your bite and can often be successfully treated by a
dentist who has special education in managing these disorders.
The primary problem
can be in the joints themselves, the muscles of the face and
jaw, or a combination of these. Because the symptoms masquerade
as so many other conditions, many people travel from doctor to
doctor in search of a cure.
What Causes
Craniomandibular Dysfunction?
The structures that
make it possible to open and close your mouth include the bones,
joints, and muscles. These are very specialized and must work
together whenever you chew, speak, or swallow. Your teeth are
inserted in your jaw bone. At the other end of your jaw bone are
the temporomandibular joints. These joints attach your jaw to
your skull. Muscles attach both the bones and joints and allow
them to move. Any problem which prevents the complex system of
muscles, bones, and joints from working together in harmony may
result in TMJ Dysfunction.
Jaw Joint
Displacement
Each jaw joint is a ball and socket joint. When functioning
properly, the ball and socket do not actually touch because a
thin disc of cartilage rides between them. The disc acts as a
cushion and allows the joint to move smoothly. Each disc is held
in place and guided by muscle. If your bite is not right, the
joint is pulled out of alignment. Typically the disc is pulled
forward. Since it no longer serves as a cushion, the joint
itself now rubs against the bony socket and presses on pain
fibers. Mild displacements cause a clicking or popping sound in
the jaw joint; more severe displacements can be very painful and
eventually can cause permanent damage to the joint, a grinding
noise and arthritis.
Muscle Spasm
Your upper and lower teeth must come together firmly each time
you swallow. This happens over 2000 times each day and night!
When your bite is unstable your muscles must work extra hard.
This extra work makes them shortened and stiff. Eventually this
strain makes them feel painful. A vicious cycle begins of
increased tissue damage, muscle tenderness, and pain. The pain
makes you feel tense and uptight. This worsens the muscle spasm,
which in turn increases the pain.
A "Bad
Bite"
There are various ways this system can be disrupted, such as
accidents involving a blow to the face or a whiplash. Yet the
most common cause of Craniomandibular Dysfunction relates to
your teeth and your bite. If your bite isn't right, it can
affect both the muscles and the joints. What do we mean by a
"bad bite"? We mean that your upper and lower teeth do
not come together in a way that provides the proper bracing
support for your jaw against your skull.
An unstable bite can
cause both jaw joint displacement and muscle strain and pain. Conversely, a jaw joint displacement will always cause an
unstable bite. Many seemingly unrelated symptoms result
which are collectively known as Craniomandibular Dysfunction.
When this condition is prolonged, the body begins to compensate
and adapt by causing spasm of the muscles in the neck, back and
shoulders. |
