TMJ disorder is a common jaw dysfunction that affects the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) that control your jaw’s movement. Yet, while the dysfunction occurs in your jaw joints, the symptoms of TMJ disorder are more numerous and diverse than most other dental health issues. That’s because it aggravates the dominant nerve group in your craniofacial structures, known as the trigeminal nerve. Because the symptoms are so diverse, many patients don’t realize that they have TMJ disorder until they’ve properly diagnosed. To help you know if you have TMJ disorder, we examine a few things the disorder is commonly connected to.
Popping/Clicking Jaw Joints
When you open and close your mouth, your TMJs on either side of your jaw have to move at the same time. If TMJ disorder affects their symmetry, then you can experience popping and clicking sensations in your TMJs as the joints try to accommodate their imbalance. Over time, this popping and clicking can become more physically painful every time it occurs.
Persistent Teeth-Grinding
In addition to popping and clicking, improperly functioning jaw joints can also cause your jaw muscles to spasm, clench, and tighten sporadically. As a result, you can find yourself grinding your teeth incessantly throughout the day, and you may do it even more often while you sleep at night.
Chronic Headaches and Migraines
Damaged jaw joints, grinding your teeth, and other related conditions can also lead to chronic, increasingly worse headaches and migraines. The trigeminal nerve near your jaw carries most of your head’s nerve input, and the discomfort of TMJ disorder can often radiate, causing different forms of headaches and migraines.
Find Out if Your Symptoms Are TMJ-Related
With a wide range of symptoms, signs, and forms of discomfort, TMJ disorder can often be the cause of numerous chronic aches and pains. To learn more, schedule an appointment with your dentist by calling Keelan Dental in Butler, PA, at (724) 285-4153. Our Smile Certified experts happily serve patients from Butler, Cranberry Township, Mars, Pittsburgh, Butler County, and all surrounding communities.