Introduction
You may have read articles in newspapers and magazines about "TMD" - temporomandibular (jaw) disease, also known as "TMJ syndrome." Maybe you sometimes feel pain in your chin area or your dentist or doctor tells you that you have a TMD.
If you have a question about TMD, you are not alone. Researchers are also looking for what leads to the answer to TMD, what is the best dental equipment for treatment, and how to prevent these diseases. The National Institute of Dental has written this booklet to share with you what we know about TMD.
TMD is more than just a disease, but also a group of diseases that affect the pain of the mandible (temporomandibular joint, or TMJ) and the muscle that controls chewing. Although we do not know how many people actually have TMDs, these barriers seem to affect twice as many women.
The good news is that for most people, jaw joint or muscle pain is not a sign of a serious problem. In general, the discomfort of TMD is occasional and temporary, often occurring in cycles. The pain will eventually disappear, with little or no treatment. Only a small percentage of patients with TMD pain developed overt long-term symptoms.
What is temporomandibular joint?
The temporomandibular joint will be referred to as the lower jaw of the lower jaw connected to the temporal side of the temporal bone. If you put your finger in front of your ears, open your mouth, you can feel the joints on both sides of the head. As these joints are flexible, the chin moves smoothly up, down, left and right so that we can talk, chew and yawn. The muscles attached to the jaw joint control its position and movement.
As we open our mouths, the rounded distal end of the mandible (called the condyle) slides along the glenoid fossa of the temporal bone. When we close your mouth, the condyle slides back to its original position. In order to keep this movement going smoothly, a floppy disk is located between the condyles and the temporal bone. The disc absorbs the impact of TMJ on chewing and other sports.
What is temporomandibular joint disorder?
Today, researchers generally believe that temporomandibular joint disorders can be divided into three categories:
Myofascial pain is the most common form of TMD and it is used to control chin function and muscle discomfort or pain in the neck and shoulder muscles
Intra-articular disorders, which means dislocation of the mandible or displaced intervertebral disc, or condyle injury
Degenerative joint disease, such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in jaw joints
A person may have one or more of these conditions at the same time.
What causes TMD?
We know that severe injuries to the mandible or temporomandibular joint can cause TMD. For example, a heavy blow may rupture the bones of the joint or damage the disc, disrupting the smooth movement of the jawbone and causing pain or lock-up. Arthritis of the mandible may also be due to injury. Other reasons for TMD are not clear. It has been suggested, for example, that poor malability (malability) may trigger TMD, but recent research is controversial. Orthodontic treatments such as braces and the use of headdresses are also accused of some form of TMD, but research now shows that this is unlikely.
And there is no scientific evidence that chewing gum can cause jaws to click, or clicks can cause serious TMJ problems. In fact, chin clicks are quite common in the general population. If there are no other symptoms, such as pain or lock, chin click usually does not require treatment.
Researchers believe that most people click or pop in the jaw may have a removable disc - soft, shock plate is not in the normal position. As long as the displaced disc does not cause pain or jaw movement problems, no dental supplies treatment is needed.
Some experts believe that mental or physical stress can cause or worsen TMD. People who have TMD often bite or moisten at night, which can make the jaw muscles tired and cause pain. However, it is unclear whether stress is the cause of bite / bruxism and subsequent jaw pain or as a result of chronic jaw pain or dysfunction. Scientists are exploring how TMD can be combined with behavioral, psychological and physical factors.
