You have one joint that is connected on each side of the jaw to the skull which acts like a sliding hinge. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a particular disorder that can cause severe pain in the jaw joints as well as the muscles that control the movement within the jaw.

Temporomandibular Joint is also known in short as TMJ a hinge action with sliding motions. This means the parts of the bones that are interacting with the joint are covered with cartilage and are therefore separated by a small shock-absorbing disk, which is what normally keeps this moving smoothly.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) can be quite painful, this disorder often occurs if:

• The shock-absorbing disk erodes or even moves out of alignment
• The cartilage is damaged due to arthritis
• The joint is damaged from a blow or impact

However, in many instances, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is not clear, as it can be a combination of factors from genetics, jaw injury, or arthritis.

There are a few clear-cut signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, some of which may include:

• Mild to moderate pain or tenderness within the jaw
• Mild to moderate pain within one or both of the temporomandibular joints (TMJ)
• An aching pain occurring in and around the ears
• You may notice difficulty chewing, or having some pain while you chew
• Severe aching facial pain
• The jaw joint locking, making it quite difficult to open and close the mouth

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is often known to cause a clicking sound, or a sensation of grinding when you open your mouth, or when you’re chewing food.

If you are dealing with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and you do not get it treated, you may deal with a few issues which may include:

• The pain from the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) escalating

Due to any stress being put on the jaw joint area from the grinding, the level of pain may reach severe levels, which may cause you to need medical intervention.

• Your oral health deteriorating

Your oral health may begin to deteriorate and you will begin to have issues with gum disease, physical tooth trauma, and tooth decay.

• Your hearing begins to deteriorate

While it is rare that your hearing will begin to deteriorate, due to the jaw joints grinding within close proximity to the ears, this is a possibility.

• You may permanently damage your jaw joints

If you do not get treatment for temporomandibular joint (TMJ), it could lead to a permanently locked jaw and even the possibility of not being able to open and close your jaw. If something like this were to occur, you would need to visit the ER.

• Other medical conditions that you can experience

Other medical conditions may arise if the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) goes untreated which includes excruciating pain in the neck or jaw, malnutrition, depression, or an eating disorder.

The most common doctor that patients see for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder would be an oral specialist (dentist), an oral surgeon, an orthodontist, a periodontist, or a prosthodontist.

To fix the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), you will have to have your jaw corrected into the proper position, this will most often require surgery. The type of surgeries that are available to help with misaligned temporomandibular joint (TMJ) due to an uneven jaw include:

• Maxillary osteotomy

The upper jaw will have surgery performed on it to help correct open bites or crossbites. This is done by moving the upper jaw and teeth forward so they will align with the lower jaw and teeth.

• Mandibular osteotomy

If you need to correct an overbite and/or protruding lower jaw, this surgery will help by moving the lower jaw forward or backwards, depending on what is needed.

• Genioplasty

Genioplasty helps to restructure small or crooked chins.

• Jaw wiring

Jaw wiring surgery is used when the jaw needs to be positioned in a certain place or to provide support due to a fracture. If you have questions regarding TMJ treatment, contact Dr. Prabhdeep K. Gill DDS today. Call us or simply book an appointment. We are located at 7215 N First St Suite 107 Fresno CA 93720. We serve patients from Fresno CA, Clovis CA, Burness CA, Gordon CA, Calwa CA, and Easton CA.