The Temporomandibular Joint, often referred to as TMJ, is the joint that allows the lower jaw to move and function. When the TM joint is not positioned properly it can cause TM Disorder or TMJ syndrome. The cause can be arthritis, cartilage displacement, recurrent dislocation of the jaw, overuse of the chewing muscles or an injury.

TM disorders can have one or all of the following symptoms:

• Headaches
• Earaches, stuffiness, or ringing in the ears
• Pain or soreness in and around the jaw joints
• Dizziness
• Numbness in fingers and arms
• Difficulty swallowing
• Limited movement or locking of the jaw
• Clicking or grating sounds in the jaw joints
• Pain behind the eyes
• Neck, shoulder, or back pain
• Facial pain
• Unexplained loosening of teeth

Healthy joint	Compressed joint	Injured joint	Diseased joint

How problems develop

• Tightening of the muscles around the joint (often due to stress, grinding of teeth, or poor posture) can lead to compression of the disk that cushions the TM joint.
• An injury (a blow to your jaw) or extreme bruxism (grinding of teeth) can cause the disk to be dislodged.
• Disease (typically arthritis) can lead to a severed disk.

TMD Treatments

Determining the cause of the TMJ disorder is important in determining the treatment. Some TMJ disorders can be treated non-surgically through medications, splint therapy and stress management. If these are unsuccessful or if there is clearly joint damage, Dr. Martone may recommend a surgical treatment.

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