What Causes Temporomandibular Joint Disorder?
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ or TMD) can cause painful symptoms that range from your head to the tips of your fingers. But the condition itself actually stems from a tiny area in the connective region between your jaw and your skull.

PHOENIX, AZ, December 02, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ or TMD) can cause painful symptoms that range from your head to the tips of your fingers. But the condition itself actually stems from a tiny area in the connective region between your jaw and your skull.

TMJ/TMD shares symptoms with a wide range of other ailments, ranging from arthritis to migraines to sinus infections, which makes TMJ/TMD difficult to diagnose. Symptoms of TMJ/TMD include:

- Difficulty biting, chewing or swallowing
- Earaches
- Face, neck, shoulder and back pain
- Headaches
- Jaw clicking or popping
- Jaw locking or sticking
- Jaw tension and pain
- Numbness or tingling of the hands and fingers

TMJ/TMD is often best diagnosed by a neuromuscular dentist. Neuromuscular dentistry is a specialized field of dentistry that focuses on the relationship between bite conditions, jaw alignment problems and the bundle of nerves, joints, muscles and bone that contribute to the broad symptoms of TMJ/TMD.

TMJ/TMD is typically caused by bite conditions and/or a misaligned jaw. This, in turn, can put excessive stress on the compact area where your jaw meets your skull, which contains a complex network that includes your temporomandibular joint and trigeminal nerve.

The trigeminal nerve is instrumental in biting, chewing and swallowing, and it is also the nerve responsible for registering sensation in your face. The additional pressure placed on this nerve and corresponding joints, muscles, tendons and bone can cause pain to shoot throughout your body.

If not treated, TMJ/TMD can contribute to chronic discomfort, depression and progressive dental problems, including periodontal disease.

There are, however, a number of TMJ/TMD treatment options available. In some cases, the adverse effects of TMJ/TMD can be alleviated by correcting bad dental habits such as ice chewing or teeth grinding. Other patients may require the use of transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS) to relax the jaw muscles so the jaw settles into its natural, relaxed position. For others, orthotics may be necessary to correct a bite condition or jaw alignment issue.

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