Temporomandibular joint disorder
What are the causes?
Possiblecauses of TMD include:
- clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth during sleep (bruxism) which overworks the jaw muscles and puts pressure on the joint (often caused by stress )
- wear and tear of the inside of the jaw joint usually caused by osteoarthritis
- injury to the jaw joint for example, after a blow to the face or surgery
- stress some people mayinherit increased sensitivity to pain or stress
- uneven bite for example, when new fillings, dental crowns or dentures are fitted
- specific diseases TMD may be associated with specific diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis , gout or fibromyalgia
However, some people may develop TMD without an obvious cause being found.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a problem affecting the 'chewing' muscles and the joints between the lower jaw and the base of the skull.
What are the symptoms?
TMDcan cause: clicking, poppingor grating noises as you chew or move your mouth muscle pain around the jaw pain in front of the ear that may spread to the cheek, ear and temple difficulty opening
What are the causes?
Possiblecauses of TMD include: clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth during sleep (bruxism) which overworks the jaw muscles and puts pressure on the joint (often caused by stress ) wear an
Howis TMD treated?
If you have TMD, see your GP or dentist first for diagnosis and to discuss treatment options. Generally, non-surgical treatments such as lifestyle changes and self-help physiotherapy-type treatmentsa
Outlook
Most cases of TMDimprove over time and do not get worse, and most people will not need surgery. In the meantime, symptoms can often be improved with the treatments mentioned above.
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