When people experience pain in or near their mouth, they often think that their teeth must be the cause. It does make sense. If someone’s jaw was hurt, toothache, discomfort on their face, and pain while they are chewing could all make you think it’s a dental issue. However, what happens when there is really no issue with any of anyone’s teeth?
Someone suffering from TMJ spends months seeking out answers through various dental procedures only to find out that the source of their pain is actually in the jaw joint itself.
The overlapping symptoms of TMJ and dental disorders are one of the reasons they frequently cause confusion when diagnosed as an issue.
Examples of TMJ dysfunction include:
The source of the pain extends over a broad region of the mouth making the source difficult to determine, a tooth or the jaw.
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is located in the area adjacent to the ear and is utilized in close relation to the muscles that facilitate chewing and the movement of the jaw.
If the temporomandibular joint becomes strained or dysfunctional, it can lead to overworking and over-tensioning of the associated muscles. The pain can be transmitted through the face and mouth giving the patient confusing symptoms which resemble complications caused by teeth.
Some patients believe they suffer from dental-related problems, even though dental evaluations reveal no obvious reason for their discomfort.
Symptoms may overlap, however there are generally hints towards TMJ dysfunction.
TMJ discomfort tends to get:
When there is a real dental problem, it typically has a tooth that is the issue; and exhibiting little or no change with your jaw movement.
TMJ disorder could be misdiagnosed as dental pain if dentists treat teeth only and ignore the problems with the jaw. This misdiagnosis can result in the patient experiencing continuing discomfort and confusion as to why they have recurrent problems with discomfort.
To avoid misdiagnosing TMJ disorder, healthcare providers should assess the entire jaw functionally, including jaw position, muscle tension, bite mechanics, and any other habits (e.g., clenching and grinding) that may contribute to their symptoms that resemble dental issues.
The jaw joint and the surrounding muscles are mechanical components that play an important role in the functioning of your teeth. Although the symptoms created by TMJ disorder may feel like dental symptoms, the source of the problem often lies outside of dental considerations.
The first step in obtaining the appropriate treatment for your TMJ is to thoroughly understand this distinction
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms associated with TMJ such as persistent pain in your jaw, face or teeth without any known dental cause, it would be beneficial to evaluate the proper functioning of your jaw joint. At his clinic, Dr. Luis will work with you to identify the specific mechanical TMJ dysfunction causing your discomfort, such as misalignment of your jaw, clenching or grinding your teeth, or problems with your bite.