TMJ disorders

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Skull of an adult

Causes of secondary headache

TMJ disorders

Alternative Names:

TMD; Temporomandibular joint disorders
Symptoms:

Headache
Earache (the joint is located right in front of the ears and can easily be interpreted as ear pain; in addition, pain may be referred to the ear from nearby muscles)
Jaw pain or tenderness of the jaw
Dull, aching facial pain
Biting or chewing difficulty or discomfort
Clicking sound while chewing or opening the mouth
Grating sensation while chewing
Reduced ability to open or close the mouth

Signs and tests:

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TMJ pain and symptoms may require evaluation by more than one medical specialty, such as your primary care provider, a dentist, or an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor, depending on your symptoms. Some dentists specialize in TMJ diagnosis and treatment.

A thorough examination may involve:

Feeling the joint and connecting muscles for tenderness
Watching, feeling, and listening to the jaw open and shut
Sliding the teeth from side to side
Pressing around the head for areas that are sensitive or painful
X-rays which may show abnormalities, but can be difficult to read
An MRI of the jaw area may occasionally be performed
A dental examination may show mis-alignment of the bite (crossbite, malocclusion)

In some cases, the results of the physical examination may appear normal.

References:

American Dental Association. TMD/TMJ (temporomandibular disorders). Available at: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/tmd_tmj.asp.

Lobbezoo F. Topical review: new insights into the pathology and diagnosis of disorders of the temporomandibular joint. J Orofac Pain. 2004; 18(3): 181-191.

Simons DC, Travell JG. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. Vol. 1. Upper Half of the Body. 2nd Ed. Atlanta, GA: Emory University;1998.