Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Disorders of your temporomandibular joint can be quite painful. The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, is the “hinge” that connects your jawbone to your skull. It’s this hinge (one on each side of your jaw) that allows your mouth to open and close for speaking, eating, and more. When something goes wrong with your TMJ, you may feel pain beneath your ears, in your jaw, or radiating throughout your face. Sometimes it’s difficult to pinpoint the source of pain. This is why it’s important to schedule a visit to your dentist in Mountain View, CA, if you’re experiencing sudden, unexpected pain in these areas.

Types of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Your TMJ is one of the joints you use most. This means it suffers a lot of wear and tear throughout your lifetime. In some people, this normal usage can contribute to degeneration of the joint. Other conditions, such as osteoarthritis or perforation of a TMJ disc, may also cause degenerative disc disorder of the TMJ.

Aside from degeneration of the disc, internal derangement of the jaw may contribute to TMJ disorder. This is a fancy term for a dislocation. This may happen suddenly, as a result of injury or trauma to the jaw. Or it may progress over time, as the articular disc slips out of place.

Lastly, bad habits, such as teeth clenching or grinding, may cause a type of TMJ disorder in the muscles surrounding the joint.

All of these conditions may cause pain or discomfort, and all are treatable. The earlier you seek help for facial pain, the easier it may be for your dentist to treat TMJ disorder.

What Causes TMJ Disorder?

TMJ disorder, or TMD, can be caused by a number of variables, including:

• Injury
• Disease
• Malocclusion
• Bone loss
• Bruxism

Keeping appointments with your dental professional as you age is a good way to avoid many of the problems associated with TMD. Through regular check-ups and diagnostic testing, your dentist can detect problems before they occur.

Help for TMD in Mountain View, CA

For help with temperomandibular joint disorders in Mountain View, CA, contact Cassara Dental. The friendly professionals at Cassara Dental are happy to sit down with you to answer your questions regarding TMJ disorders. Call today to schedule a consultation.