Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) affects the temporomandibular joints and surrounding muscles, which connect your skull and your lower jaw. Damage to these joints and muscles can reduce the range of movement in your jaw and impact on how you chew food. In severe cases, the jaw can lock temporarily, which can be quite distressing, as it can happen at any time. TMD can be caused by injury or trauma to the jaw, or excess pressure on the temporomandibular joints due to teeth grinding or clenching. It can also occur in those with osteoarthritis, as this condition can weaken the temporomandibular joints.

Symptoms Of TMD 

TMD symptoms can be intermittent or constant and symptoms may include jaw pain, jaw tightness and localised swelling. It's also common to hear clicking or popping noises from your jaw when chewing, and you may not be able to open your mouth as wide as you were able to previously. TMD can also cause headaches in some people, and these headaches may be more common after eating.

Treating TMD

Your dentist will diagnose TMD by assessing the range of motion in your jaws and taking dental X-rays to rule out other problems, such as impacted wisdom teeth, that can cause similar symptoms. Your dentist will recommend a treatment approach based on the cause of our TMD.

You may be advised to eat a soft diet for a few weeks to allow the temporomandibular joints to rest, and your dentist may suggest using warm compresses to help relieve the swelling. If you have TMD due to grinding your teeth your dentist can provide you with a custom-made soft splint, which is similar to a mouth guard, that you can wear overnight. This stops teeth from grinding and takes the pressure off your temporomandibular joints.

If osteoarthritis is causing TMD, you may require steroid injections. These can be administered directly into the temporomandibular joints and will bring the swelling down quickly, which will improve the range of motion in your jaw. In severe cases of TMD and when more conservative treatment approaches have not been successful, joint replacement surgery may be required to prevent repeated jaw locking, bring pain relief and allow you to eat normally. This type of surgery is carried out by a maxillofacial surgeon, and your dentist can refer you if they have exhausted other treatment options.

TMD tends to respond well to treatment, particularly when treatment is sought in the early stages of the developing problem. So, if you're experiencing symptoms associated with TMD, speak to your dentist.