TMJ Overview
Since childhood, most people have daunting memories of having visited a dentist – because that is where they got their braces, that is where their wisdom teeth were removed and that is where they got treated for cavities.
If you truly want to get rid of any intimidation you have for your dental problem, you should know more about it. Hence, the experts at InStyle Dental Group have made this guide to give you an overview of TMJ.
What is the TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint)?
TMJ is a crucial joint that connects your jaw with the bones in your skull. This joint’s structural integrity is crucial to the functions you want to perform with your jaw. Most of the things that you are able to do with your jaw such as speaking, chewing and even yawning – are all because of the proper functioning of TMJ.
The disorder, which causes TMJ to get jammed or causes a disproportionate problem in its functioning, is called TMD or Temporomandibular Disorder. Many people consider TMJ and TMD to be synonymous, whereas in reality, TMD is the name of the disease and TMJ is the joint. Since TMJ has become the popular term for the disorder, we can stick with it.
TMJ Symptoms
TMJ includes a series of symptoms, which usually point in only one direction – the TMJ has stopped functioning with ease. Hence, the prevalent symptoms may include:
- The problem in chewing food, even rather simpler foods with soft textures.
- The problem in suddenly opening or closing your mouth.
- Jaw getting locked at a point in such a way that your mouth remains closed or open.
- Feeling that your upper teeth and lower teeth are not aligned together anymore, such that they might have shifted from their original places.
Treatment for TMJ Pain
Some usual precautionary steps you can take to treat TMJ pain include consumption of easy to chew and digest foods, applying a cold or heating pad to the joint and even taking OTC medicines. There are more sophisticated treatment options available as well – nerve stimulation, ultrasound, joint injections, radio waves, and surgery. You can choose the apt treatment depending on the propensity and the causes of the pain.
