4 Signs You May Have a TMJ Problem
Temporomandibular joint disorder is a collective term for diseases of the temporomandibular joint. Management of TMJ or jaw common disorders varies from conservative medication treatment and physiotherapy to joint excision and replacement in severe instances, intending to treat joint pain and improve joint function.
Need to Identify the Symptoms of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
TMJ disorders (TMDs) are often very challenging to diagnose even by experienced clinicians. They are often confused with diseases of the ears, teeth, facial muscles and nerves and even the brain. It, therefore, becomes very important to look out for certain cardinal signs and features of TMDs to avoid a misdiagnosis and also to prevent the complications of delayed treatment.
1.Pain
The first and foremost symptom is TMJ pain. It is felt in the ear area, and it is typically felt like a chronic headache, jaw pain, jaw muscle pain, or ear pain. Patients usually get confused with ear, jaw, neck, shoulder pain, or severe headache issues as they cannot localize the pain as these are the most common areas where many people suffer from pain.
It typically worsens when a patient wakes up in the morning due to overuse of the teeth and jaw joint during sleep while clenching or grinding. TMJ pain is unrelenting as it does not respond to a lot of conventional pain remedies, making it vital to treat the underlying source of the problem, i.e., the joint and the associated structures.
2. Limited Range of Motion
Restriction in mouth opening is one of the most common signs of TMJ. The jaw joint is responsible for jaw movements. Structural damage to the joints, tissues around the joint or any joint injuries can make the TMJ unable to efficiently open the mouth due to the hindrance of motion caused by some tissues inside the joint. This condition is also known as trismus.
Have questions or want to get started? We are ready to help you with a smile!
3. Joint Clicking
Joint sounds are another symptom of TMJ disorders. You may hear a popping or clicking sound when you open your mouth. This noise is due to the shifting of the disc inside the TMJ joint. The frictional sound of tissues inside the joint rubbing against each other produces abnormal joint sounds. “Clicking” during joint movement occurs when the soft tissues inside the jaw joint snap out of their normal position and unsnap back into position.
Due to structural abnormalities, some undesirable and unfavourable movements occur inside the jaw, which causes joint sounds. Clicking alone is not always an indication for surgical treatment of joint problems or TMJ disorders; however, if any other symptoms accompany joint sounds, it almost always warrants some treatment.
4. Open Lock
The fourth sign of the TMJ problem is an open lock. This could be a sudden or a repeated symptom of dislocation of the jaw joint under which the lower joint component pops out of its socket and becomes unable to slide back into it. Patients report with an open mouth which they are unable to close on their own as the lower jaw gets stuck in that position that can only be reduced manually with an expert maxillofacial surgeon.
This can be an acute or a one time problem due to an injury or due to an extreme jaw movement like yawning or excessive mouth opening. It could also be a recurrent dislocation which is also known as subluxation. In this case the patient goes through repeated episodes of joint dislocation and they are able to pop the joint back into the socket on their own. It keeps happening frequently, like once a week or many times a day.-
Schedule a consultation with Dr Sanchaita Kohli if you’re facing any of these symptoms. Being a maxillofacial surgeon, she’s well versed with all kinds of TMJ treatments. Dr Kohli will help you thoroughly with the diagnosis. Her experience and calibre in maxillofacial surgery ensure you the best care.
Dr. Sanchaita Kohli
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Dr. Sanchaita Kohli is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon with over 13 years of training and work experience at the country’s leading dental institute, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, enabling her to plan and manage an extremely wide variety of craniofacial deformities, jaw diseases and facial trauma.
To book an appointment, call: +91-9971710455 or email: facesurgerydelhi@gmail.com
Leave a Reply