TMD/TMJ
Serving Patients from Medford, Klamath Falls, Ashland, Yreka and Central Point
Millions of Americans suffer to some degree from a neuromuscular condition called temporomandibular joint disorder - also referred to as TMD or TMJ. In medical terms, TMD is used to describe a broad range of symptoms related to malfunctioning temporomandibular joints. These joints are located where your lower jaw connects to your skull, just in front of the ears. These are very complex joints, if not the most complex in your whole body.
TMD is usually caused by another condition called malocclusion. Malocclusion is the medical term for having a misaligned bite, or where your upper and lower jaw are not properly aligned when you chew, bite down, or close your mouth for any other reason. If your bite is misaligned, then each of the many muscles involved with opening or closing your jaw are forced to compensate for this misalignment. This added stress put on the muscles also affects the nerves, which can lead to a number of other complications that may affect other parts of your body, as well as your neurochemistry.
Symptoms that comprise TMD include any combination of the following:
- Clicking or popping in the jaw joints
- Depression
- Excessive dental wear or chipped, cracked, loose, or overly sensitive teeth
- Frequent ear infection
- Frequent or chronic tension headaches or migraines
- Frequent pain and tension in the shoulder, neck, jaw and other facial muscles
- Locked jaw or stiff, limited jaw movement
- Restricted airflow and snoring
- Ringing in the ears or the sensation of congested ears
- Tingling and numbness in the fingers and arms
TMD is often under-diagnosed due to the fact that most sufferers do not suspect that their bite may be misaligned. More often than not, this is because people who have had orthodontic work in the past, and who have generally straight teeth, assume that their braces also corrected any previously existing bite problems. Although wearing braces can correct bite problems to some extent, it is primarily a cosmetic procedure. Braces alone are not enough to correct a misaligned jaw.
Whether your misaligned jaw is a result of heredity, trauma or any other factor, proper jaw alignment is crucial to your physical and mental health. Treatment for TMJ will depend greatly on the cause, symptoms and severity of your TMD. Extreme cases may require a full-mouth reconstruction. If you live in Southern Oregon and believe you may have TMD, please contact us today to arrange a consultation.
800.899.6990
Contact Us
Eagle Point Dental Center for Advanced Dentistry
217 W. Main St
Eagle Point, OR 97524
