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TMJ / TMD
Symptoms
& Diagnosis
Do you suffer from recurrent headaches? You might attribute them to stress. But stress might not be the problem. The problem just may be the alignment of the muscles in your head and neck, resulting in an uncomfortable jaw position.
People who suffer from TMD have a structural imbalance in their jaw-to-skull relationship, caused by a bad bite. When the bite is off ( malocclusion ), problems are sure to follow. The most common problem is TMJ ( temporomandibular joint syndrome ), a condition that causes pain and soreness in the jaw. TMJ affects 75 million people at any one time. It is a chronic degenerative disease that may take years to develop. Malocclusion can also cause a variety of health problems that can easily be mistaken for something else.
Common Symptoms
- TMJ ( temporomandibular joint syndrome )
- Headaches or migraines
- Sinus problems
- Tinnitus ( ringing in ears )
- Unexplained loose teeth
- Worn, chipped or cracked teeth
- Cracking, chipping or breaking dental restorations
- Pain or soreness around the jaw joints
- Pain in teeth that seems to move around
- Stiffness or soreness in the neck, shoulders and back,
sometimes radiating down your arm to your fingers - Snoring
- Vertigo ( dizziness )
- Clicking or grating sounds in the jaw joints
- Limited movement or locking jaw
- Congestion or stuffiness of the ears, or subjective hearing loss
Diagnosis
"TMJ Disorders" and "TMD" are generic terms which encompass a whole spectrum of diseases, derangements of the articulating elements in the joint, and injured or damaged tissues affecting the function of the joint. Obviously, in order to treat a patient effectively, it is necessary to first find out exactly what the specific problems are.
There are two elements to diagnosis. The first is a comprehensive history and clinical examination. The second is a series of diagnostic studies. Each practitioner has his or her own favorites which they rely on, and which may be used either singly or in any combination. In general, the diagnostic studies available for TM Joint diagnosis and evaluation are:
- X-rays of the TM Joints & Skull
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
- Electromyography (studies of muscle function)
- Motion Performance Studies
- Joint Vibration Analysis (a form of ultra-sound sonography)
- Diagnostic Study Casts of the Mandible & Maxilla
- X-rays of the Dentition
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