Cosmetic Dentistry Articles from
Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha

What is TMJ or TMD?
TMD/Jaw & Headaches


What is "TMJ" or "TMD"?

"TMJ", although it has become almost a household word, is a non-specific, catch-all term for a variety of pain/dysfunction conditions of the head and neck. It was originally derived from "Temporomandibular Joint", your jaw joints - once thought to be the source of most of these ailments.

Today we know that there are many causes of head and neck problems that may or may not be related to the TMJ. For this reason, although not as widely familiar most dentists use "TMD" (for temporomandibular disorders) to more accurately describe the condition.

Signs & Symptoms of TMD

• Headaches
• Clenching or grinding
• Jaw joint pain
• Facial pain
• Jaw joint clicking
• Sensitive teeth
• Limited mouth opening
• Neck pain
• Ear congestion
• Chewing difficulties
• Postural problems
• Dizziness
• Loose teeth
• Ringing in the ears
• Tingling of the finger tips
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hot & cold sensitivity of teeth
• Nervousness or insomnia

The Dentist's Diagnosis

The neuromuscular dentist will consider all of the information gathered by taking your history and doing physical examination of your teeth, head and neck. When indicated they may conduct a series of tests using non-invasive electronic instruments. Data from these tests will indicate to your dentist whether your bite is a major contributing factor to your problem and will help rule out your bite as the cause of, or major component of, your condition.

If these tests show that your habitual bite is a probable cause of your condition or pain, the neuromuscular dentist then indentifies a jaw position determined by the relaxed state of the muscles. This jaw position and the corresponding new bite is called neuromuscular occlusion.

Treatment

An orthosis is a custom made appliance fabricated of plastic that can be worn over the teeth to maintain the neuromuscularly derived bite position. At this point, nothing is done to permanently alter your teeth or your bite. You typically wear this plastic appliance for a prescribed period of time to verify that this new jaw position solves or reduces the problem. If it does, it has proven that the imperfect bite was the cause of the problem and you may elect to go on and have your natural teeth treated to permanently maintain that new bite position.

If symptoms are not substantially alleviated, the bite position is most likely not the cause of the problem. Your natural bite has not been altered and other causes may then be further explored. (Although this latter circumstance is possible, it is not likely since the dentist will only proceed with an orthosis if there are strong indications that the bite is a major factor in your problem.)

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