Find Out What Happens When You Have TMD

Many of us have heard of  various problems associated with TMJ, but not many know, or understand, what it really is. It is a disorder of the joints in the jaw that can affect the body in different ways and manifest into various symptoms. Many sufferers will spend years attempting to diagnose where their symptoms originate from.

It can be a long and exhaustive search recruiting many different disciplines who have no concrete answers to what is causing the pain. Often times those who are seen for this condition have exhausted all other avenues of medical cause. TMJ stands for temperomandibular joint. Although a joint which is associated with eating primarily, it can have substantial consequences for the entire body, referred pain to other places, and host symptoms which are nondescript and can leave a patient hunting for the origination for years.

TMD Problems: The Mystery

Patients who are experiencing TMJ disorders or TMD, and have exhausted other medical disciplines such as a neurologist or ENT are usually defeated and give up before the right diagnosis is made. They often begin their search due to symptoms such as headaches, ear congestion or ringing in the ears, vertigo, neck and shoulder pain and facial pain. If there is no other cause found, specific tests can identify the TMJ  dysfunction as the culprit. These tests include:

• Photos
• Models
• X-rays
• K-7 Electromyography

K-7 electromyography is a tool which is helpful because it works in distinct ways that other forms of testing cannot. It first measures the muscles of the jaw to see how the relation of the upper and lower portions of the jaws meet. It then uses a sonography, which listens to the joint movement, and then a magnet to track movement.

In doing so there is an entire process that is captured, lending information about the stability of and the range of motion of the temperomandibular joint.  When all the information is gathered, there is a clear picture of the structure of the jaw and how it operates. Indicating how wear, tear, and overuse of this joint is attributing to the symptoms the patient is having gives the physician an understanding of the best course of treatment to alleviate the symptoms of TMD.

The combination of the tests above give the clinician an overview of how the joint is operating, and aids in developing methods to treat any abnormalities which cause the disorder.

Why do people develop TMD?

There are many reasons why people develop TMD. A huge contributing factor is breathing through the mouth instead of the nose. The body was designed to breathe through the nose, but due to behaviors, one specifically, bottle feeding versus breast in children, many people ineffectively use their mouths primarily to breathe.

Other things leading to the dysfunction of the temperomandibular joint are mis-aligned bites. When the teeth do not meet perfectly, there is additional wear and tear on them during biting and chewing. Our bodies are experts in adaptation and thus are designed to accommodate for those imperfections, but over the span of a person’s life, the teeth can become settled in one way that can cause TMD.

When that happens: overbites, underbites, and other poor teeth mechanics, can affect the musculature around the jaw and lead to the damage that creates this condition.

If you think that you may have this disorder,  find an expert dentist in New Jersey like  Dr. Len Ciuffreda  of Remarkable Grins to provide you the best TMD treatment.

 

Find Out What Happens When You Have TMD

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