Find Out if You Suffer from Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

The Temporomandibular joint is the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. Temporomandibular joint disorder—or TMJ—can cause pain in the lower jaw and skull, causing facial pain and difficulty in chewing. Studies have shown that TMJ disorder affects more than 10 million Americans, with women being 1.5 times more likely to suffer from it than men.

So, how can you make sure you are safe from this disorder? This blog covers all the basics.

Pain in Jaw and/or Temporomandibular Joints

TMJ disorder can cause pain in the jaw joints, leading to muscle spasms. Jaw pain causes aching in ears and other parts of the face and head, leading to dizziness, migraine, headaches and nausea.

Pain around the Ears

It’s easy for someone suffering from TMJ disorder to mistake it for a problem in the ears. This is because jaw pain causes extreme pain in and around the ear lobes.

Those suffering from TMJ disorder may experience sounds of ringing in the ears and sometimes even have difficulty in hearing.

Locking of Jaws

It’s extremely common for those with TMJ disorder to experience a locked or dislocated jaw when they open their mouth.

In some cases, the jaw does not open fully or causes pain while being opened. While yawning, the jaw slides to one side, causing the teeth not to fit in properly.

Pain while Chewing

Teeth not fitting in together, may also lead to difficulty in chewing and feeling uncomfortable while eating food. Chewing muscles being affected causes pain in the jaw, especially when chewing on hard foods or gum.

Facial Pain

Pain in the jaw can spread out to the facial muscles as well, causing different parts of the face, neck and shoulder to ache. This pain is intensified while eating, yawning or talking.

Clicking and Popping of the Jaw

Movement in the jaw joints causes popping and clicking sounds in the jaw. Opening and closing the mouth can cause these sounds.

This happens when TMJ causes the jaw to dislocate from its proper position.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, get it checked from a dental specialist immediately to prevent the problem from getting more serious.

Maintain your oral health from our cosmetic and family dentistry in Germantown, MD. Our highly experienced dentists at Advanced Dental Center can fix all sorts of dental problems. Give us a call at (301) 353-8890 to book your appointment today.