What is Temporomandibular (TMD) Disorder?

From headaches to sleep disorders and even anxiety, TMJ Disorder’s affects the whole body.

TMD can affect your overall health

Dr Gys De Necker recently chatted to Aidel Kazilsky from ChaiFM 101.9fm on their Healthy You, Wealthy You show.

Have a listen to this insightful podcast discussing how TMJ Disorder can affect your overall health and how De Necker Dentistry can help you treat it.

What is TMD?

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are disorders of the jaw muscles, temporomandibular joints, and the nerves related to persistent facial pain. Any issue that stops the network of muscles, bones, and joints from working together could cause TMD.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research classifies TMD by the following:

• Myofascial pain. This is the most typical form of TMD. It causes discomfort or pain in the connective tissue covering the muscles in the face and the muscles that control the neck, jaw and shoulder.

• Internal derangement of the joint. This refers to a dislocated jaw or displaced disk, or injury to the condyle (the rounded end of the jaw bone that articulates with the temporal skull bone).

• Degenerative joint disease. This includes rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis in the jaw.

It is possible that you can have one or more of these conditions at the same time.

What are the temporomandibular joints (TMJ)?

The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are the 2 joints that join your lower jaw to your skull. The TMJs are some of the most intricate joints in the body. These joints, along with several muscles, allow the jaw to move up and down, side to side, and forward and back. When the jaw and the joints are aligned, simple muscle actions, such as chewing, talking, yawning, and swallowing, can take place.

What causes TMD?

In most cases, the cause of this disorder may not be clear. The predominant cause is too much strain on the jaw joints and the muscle group that controls swallowing, chewing, and speech. This strain may be caused by grinding of the teeth or involuntary clenching. Trauma to the head, neck or jaw could also cause TMD. Arthritis and displacement of the jaw joint disks may also result in TMD pain. In some instances, medical conditions such as irritable bowl syndrome or fibromyalgia could overlap with or aggravate the pain of TMD. A study by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research identified clinical, psychological, sensory, genetic, and nervous system factors that may put a person at higher risk of developing chronic TMD.

What are the symptoms of TMD?

If you feel that you could possibly have TMD, please contact De Necker Dentistry.

The following are the most common signs and symptoms of TMD:

• Jaw discomfort or pain (occurring in the morning or late afternoon)

• Headaches

• Pain felt behind the eyes, in the face, shoulder, neck, or back

• Earaches or ringing in the ears (not caused by an ear infection)

• Jaw clicking or popping

• Locking of the jaw

• Limited mouth movement

• Teeth clenching or grinding

• Dizziness

• Teeth sensitivity without the presence of an oral health disease

• Numbness or tingling sensation in the fingers

• A change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together

• Depression which does not react to medication

• Sleep disorders

• Excessive sweating

Many of these symptoms can be related to a number of other medical conditions. Please visit your doctor or dentist if you are unsure.

What are the possible treatments for TMD?

• Resting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

• Medicine or pain relievers

• Relaxation techniques and stress management

• Behaviour changes to reduce teeth clenching

• Physical therapy

• An orthopedic appliance or mouthguard worn in the mouth to reduce teeth grinding

• Posture training

• Diet changes (to rest the jaw muscles)

• Developing the upper jaw with orthopaedic appliances

• Splint for the lower jaw

TMD is an uncomfortable and painful condition which may be attributed to multiple possible causes. If you are suffering from any of the above mentioned symptoms, De Necker Dentistry is fully equipped to help relieve you from the pain caused by this disorder. We will conduct a full examination, where a series of x-rays will be taken to determine if TMD is present and from there we will discus a treatment plan.