TMJ

What is TMJ? TMJ, or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, refers to problems of the tiny jaw joint in front of the ear--the one we use every time we move our mouths. TMJ disorder occurs when the TMJ or jaw joint has become displaced causing the muscles to go into spasms.

Does it affect many people? Some 10 million Americans suffer TMJ problems, and that's a conservative estimate.

What are the symptoms? The symptoms vary, so that TMJ dysfunction is often called "The Great Imposter". Some of the more frequent symptoms might be headaches or other facial pain - in the jaw joints, upper or lower jaws or teeth, side of the neck or even behind the eyes. Also, the person with TMJ problems might have limited ability to open and close the mouth, experience ear problems - earaches, ringing in the ears - or having popping or cracking sounds when opening the mouth.

What causes the problems? A high percentage of TMJ disorders are caused by stress, although some cases are organically based. Stress causes many people to clench or grind their teeth - a subconscious reaction which often occurs during sleep at night.

How can you find out if you are grinding or clenching - especially during the sleep? Researchers in the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery at University of Texas at San Antonio have developed a diagnostic tool - the electromyograph - which measures the intensity and frequency of clenching and grinding. It is a tiny calculator-sized instrument with electrodes that attach to the facial muscles. Every time a person clenches, it records the intensity. While wearing the instrument for a day, patients maintain a log of events at 15 minute intervals. Sometimes they learn, to their surprise, that they are clenching every time their boss comes into the room...or whenever they hear the name of someone they dislike.

What happens once the doctor has discovered that the patient is clenching or grinding? The least invasive method is heat and massage and perhaps muscle relaxants. For more persistent cases, the dentist might make a bite appliance which keeps the patient from grinding. Other cases might be treated with electronic stimulation of the muscles...and when the stress has been pinpointed, some control therapy and habit reversal might be indicated.

Who is in the best position to treat TMJ disorders? A dentist or an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is in the best position to diagnose and treat TMJ problems. They might work with other specialists, too - a psychologist for stress management, a prosthodontist or orthodontist for a bite appliance. If surgery is necessary, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon usually performs it.

You say that more career women have it...are there any careers that can cause it? As a matter of fact, there are certain careers which have more potential for causing jaw joint problems. The flight attendant who smiles and often clenches every time she smiles to greet passengers...the seamstress who holds pins in her mouth while she works, causing an unnatural positioning of the jaws...the truck driver whose cab vibrates as he goes along the road...even the scuba diver who holds onto his mouthpiece.