The purpose of this page is to help you understand and learn about TMJ.

TMJ stands for Temporo Mandibular Joint which is the jaw joint in front of the ear. If you, or someone you know, are suffering from the following symptoms in various combinations and intensities such as:

1. Frequent headaches in the temples, behind the eyes in the back of the head,
   and "like a band around the head"
2. Migraine Headaches
3. Popping jaw joints when eating and/or yawning
4. Stiff neck and shoulders
5. Tingly fingers: low back pain
6. Frequent dizzy spells
7. Light-headedness

you may be a TMJ sufferer.

TMJ disorders and their associated pain consequences are being recognized more and more by the prevention-oriented health care providers. These disorders are frequently discussed in popular magazines and in health columns of daily newspapers.

Some well-informed health care provider may have suggested that the pain might be related to a "bad bite" and may have suggested that you see your dentist. Not every general dentist recognizes and treats TMJ dysfunction. Only qualified dentists can help you with your TMJ-related problems.

What causes TMJ dysfunction?

We are all exposed to stresses in our environment. Let us call these external stresses. A typical reaction to these stresses is muscle contraction: tight shoulders and neck, balled fists and clenched jaws. If the jaws are habitually clenched, due to a lot of stress anxiety, and/or frustrations, and it the teeth do not support the jaws properly, then the jaw joints become jammed and overclosed, causing damage to the joints. This may occur with totally natural teeth, (even in teenagers), with partially natural plus some false teeth and with full dentures.

Usually the disc in the joint is pushed forward, the back ligament of the disc becomes stretched and inflamed, and the knobs (condyles) in the joint make the displaced disc pop or crunch when the jaw is opened and closed. After many years of this, there may be arthritic changes in the joint, a one-way degenerative process. This damage to the TMJs, and the associated muscle spasm, causes pain, not only in the joints themselves, but through muscle spasms in other parts of the body, resulting in many of the symptoms listed above. The pain syndromes then cause, in addition to the external stress, internal stress, which further saps the body and spirit of energy.

If the suffering patient could permanently relax and not clench his/her jaws, the symptoms related to TMJ dysfunction would disappear.

The slogan:


may help, if consistently practiced.

The Real Answer, however, is to find that position of the lower jaw, where all jaw muscles can clench and contract in balanced harmony without jamming, overloading and damaging the jaw joints, and pressing adversely on bones of the skull.

An experienced dentist can help to diagnose and measure the muscle spasm and joint damage. He can begin the treatment of TMJ disorder by repositioning the lower jaw with a carefully-fitted plastic bite plane (MORA) to allow the damaged joints to heal.

 

back to Patient Services