Ever felt your jaw click when you were enjoying your chicken wings? That there is a sign that your Temporomandibular Joint or TMJ is weak. The temporomandibular joint is the connection between your jaw and the skull. It facilitates the free movement of your lower jaw. The muscles accompanying the joint enable you to chew and bite. When the joint gets worn off or weak, the cushion between the joint gets inflamed. Just like every other joint, when the cushioning tissues in the temporomandibular joint get affected, the functions of the joint become arduous. The joint starts clicking when you chew or bite on something hard. The disorders of this kind are called Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or TMD. If the disorder increases in intensity, it can cause excruciating jaw pain; that is when you need to get emergency dental care.

What are the Symptoms of TMD?

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction is a common occurrence among the youth and people who are working professionals. A lot of times the symptoms of TMD are neglected or wrongly treated as the disorder can also affect other nearby muscles and joints. The symptoms of TMD include-

• Tenderness and pain in around the jaw muscles. It can cause earaches, pain in the neck and the cheeks. If you notice any of those, always check if you can efficiently work your jaw.
• If the jaw tissues have worn off, it will put a grinding pressure on the bones which will cause severe headaches, and in some cases a migraine.
• Grinding of teeth causes pain in the jaws. Sometimes it can also stimulate a stiffness in the jaw. It causes issues with opening and closing of the mouth.
• Clicking or grating jaw is the most concrete proof that you could be suffering from a TMJ disorder.
• Inability to open the jaw entirely means that the disorder is at an advanced stage and you must receive emergency dental care.
• Pain while chewing affects the patients of TMJ disorders and it makes eating more difficult.
• Your face will also feel tired due to the disorder in the surrounding muscles.
• Teeth grinding also comes along as a result of TMJ disorder. If you feel a change the shape of your bite or the way your upper and lower teeth meet, visit your dentist to get a diagnostic report.

How is TMD Diagnosed?

TMD can take an extended amount of time to diagnose as the symptoms are often confused as other problems. People visit the dentist for the jaw pain and toothaches. The neurologist is considered for the headaches and migraines. If you notice the symptoms above, the best option is to visit a dentist and ask him for a checkup. The dentist will then inspect the movement of your jaw and your bite shape. Dentists can also ask questions about the pain and the areas it is affecting. To efficiently diagnose your symptoms as TMD you can also be asked to go under some MRI scans and X-rays.

If you suddenly begin to have a pain in the jaw and feel that the muzzle is locked, you must always contact the nearest dentist in Edmonton for emergency dental care. Diagnosing the symptoms of TMD earlier can prevent further damage to the jaw. Eliminating TMD will also remove the risk of your teeth grinding together, which causes them to wear off faster.