TMJ/TMD

TMJ/TMD, or “temporomandibular joint disorder,” refers to a number of different disorders affecting the jaw and jaw joints. The actual TMJ is a rotating joint connecting your lower jaw to your skull. The TMJ allows your jaws to open and close, and you use it when you chew and speak.

TMJ/TMD may cause excruciating pain in your face, neck and shoulders. The disorder can also cause your jaw to become locked in an open or closed position, or you may hear clicking and popping sounds in your jaw. The causes of these symptoms include:

• Grinding your teeth. Grinding your teeth at night can cause pain in the TMJ and in the surrounding muscles.
• Misalignment of your jaw. An overbite, underbite or crossbite prevents your teeth from coming together correctly, and can place unbalanced and severe pressure on the jaw and TMJ.
• Dislocation or displacement of the TMJ disc. The soft disc serves as a cushion between the bones of the joint and the skull.

If you have TMJ/TMD, the symptoms can be treated by a dentist. Oral appliances and tooth restorations can be used to realign the jaw and bite, alleviating TMJ-related pain.

For a TMJ consultation in the Barrie and North York areas, please contact experienced dentist Dr. Adam Chapnick at Chapnick Dental Office.