What Are the Symptoms of TMJ?

Are you experiencing dental problems but don’t know what’s causing them? If so, your dentist in Shaker Heights, OH can help. Frequently, when you have dental issues that seem to come out of nowhere, those dental problems result from TMJ. But what is TMJ and what are its symptoms and causes?

Let’s take a look.

What Is TMJ?

TMJ stands for temporomandibular. The TMJ joint is what connects your lower jaw to your skull. TMJ causes pain in your jaw joint and the muscles that control your jaw movement. It also affects the nerves that are associated with chronic facial pain.

What Are the Symptoms of TMJ?

Here are some of the symptoms associated with TMJ.

• Pain in one or both of your temporomandibular (TMJ) joints.
• Pain and tenderness in your jaw.
• Ear aching or pain around your ear.
• Difficulty chewing
• Pain while chewing.
• Aching facial pain.
• Difficulty opening or closing your mouth.

TMJ problems can also result in your hearing a clicking sound or experiencing a grating sensation when you open and close your mouth or when you chew.

What Causes TMJ?

TMJ can occur when the bone that interacts with your jaw joint and disk begins to erode or moves out of alignment. TMJ could also be caused by joint cartilage that is damaged by arthritis or by joint cartilage that is damaged by a facial injury or other impact.

What Are the Risk Factors of TMJ?

People between the ages of 20 and 40 are most at risk of experiencing TMJ and it’s more prevalent in women. Other risk factors include all stress-related habits such as clenching and unclenching of the jaw, lip biting, nail-biting, teeth grinding during the day, teeth grinding during the night while you are sleeping, chewing on items such as hard candy or gum for an extended period of time.

There are certain health problems that also raise the risk of TMJ. Those include fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psychological issues like stress, unaligned teeth, an improper bite, and face or jaw deformities.

What’s Next?

If you need a dentist in Shaker Heights, OH, please Contact McGuire Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics today. We treat every patient as a part of our family and will give you all the customized care and respect you deserve.