TMD

TMD or TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder) is a painful and debilitating neuromuscular disorder. Your teeth, joints, muscles, and nerves all work together in the proper alignment and functioning of the jaw. When any part of this equation is out of balance, TMD can occur. The symptoms of TMD range from dental problems, such as damaged teeth and dental pain, to problems throughout the body which do not appear to be dental-related.

Misdiagnosis of TMD

Chronic pain is the hallmark of TMD. Misdiagnosis is very common. Because the symptoms often seem unrelated to dental problems, most people look to their doctors for help. Doctors rarely consider TMD as a possible cause and misdiagnose TMD as other conditions. From there, ineffective treatments begin. Pain killers may temporarily provide relief, but over time, they become ineffective and addictive. Eventually, the pain medication itself can become as debilitating as the pain.

Problems throughout the body

TMD causes muscle tension in the jaw, face, and neck. This pain and tension radiates to the shoulders back and arms. It affects your posture, causing further neck and back pain. The muscle tension between your shoulder and neck can put pressure on nerves.

Please read more about the Symptoms of TMD.

TMD Causes

TMD can occur with no known cause or trigger, but often the source can be traced back to one of the following:

• Trauma, such as an auto accident, sports injury, or blow to the neck or head
• Certain health conditions, such as fibromyalgia, mitral valve prolapse, or arthritis
• Poor posture
• Oral habits, such as nail biting, pencil chewing, or wide yawning
• Health care procedures including intubation during surgery
• Poor dental procedures
• Poorly fitting dental restorations

Anyone can get TMD. It occurs most often in women of child bearing age.

Relief from TMD

Fortunately, we can treat TMD and the pain relief starts right away. In some cases, permanently correcting your bite can require extensive treatment. For some patients, it is simply a matter of relieving the tension and then correcting the habits that caused the problem. The beauty of TMD treatment is that we can start alleviating the pain, which you may have been suffering with for years, on your first day of treatment.

Symptoms

Neuromuscular Dentistry