The temporomandibular joint is the joint of the jaw and is frequently referred to as TMJ.
The TMJ is a bilateral synovial articulation between the mandible and temporal bone. The name of the joint is derived from the two bones which form the joint: the upper temporal bone which is part of the cranium (skull), and the lower jawbone or mandible. The word “temporomandibular” is pronounced “tem-puh-roe-man-DIB-u-lur” and refers to the TMJ joint which acts like a sliding hinge by connecting a person’s jawbone to theri skull. Humans have one joint on each side of their jaw. TMJ disorders — a type of temporomandibular disorder or TMD — can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.
Temporomandibular disorders, called TMDs, consist of a group of more than 30 conditions that create pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and muscles that control jaw movement. “TMDs” refers to the disorders, and the acronym “TMJ” refers directly to the temporomandibular joint itself. People have two TMJs; one on either side of the jaw. You can feel where they are by placing your fingers in front of your ears and opening your mouth.
Three main classes of TMDs are widely recognized:
- Disorders of the joints, including disc disorders.
- Disorders of the muscles used for chewing (masticatory muscles).
- Headaches associated with a TMD.
According to Hopkins Medicine, “The TMJs are among the most complex joints in the body. These joints, along with several muscles, allow the mandible to move up and down, side to side, and forward and back. When the mandible and the joints are properly aligned, smooth muscle actions, such as chewing, talking, yawning, and swallowing, can take place. When these structures (muscles, ligaments, disk, jaw bone, temporal bone) are not aligned, nor synchronized in movement, several problems may occur.”
We find that most people suffering from pain stemming from their temporomandibular value more in-depth insights on how this pain can be referred to another area, for example, their teeth when chewing. The best results patients can obtain typically come from an early and accurate jaw joint and muscle injury diagnosis.