The jaw joint and the surrounding tissues can be damaged due to reasons such as incorrect chewing, trauma, or teeth grinding, leading to temporomandibular joint disorders.

The jaw joint is a versatile joint that connects the lower jaw to the base of the skull in front of the ear and is actively involved in speaking and chewing. This joint and the surrounding tissues can be damaged due to reasons such as incorrect chewing, trauma, or teeth grinding, leading to temporomandibular joint disorders.

What are the Symptoms of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder?

• Intense headaches concentrated in the temples and radiating to the neck
• Difficulty in opening the jaw, clicking or locking of the jaw during opening
• Ear pain, ringing in the ears, dizziness, pain in the cheeks
• Jaw dislocations
• Difficulty in tearing, biting, and chewing food
• Tooth wear and sensitivity
• Misalignment of upper and lower teeth

What are the Causes of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder?

There are several factors that contribute to temporomandibular joint disorders. The most common causes include:

• Constantly chewing on one side
• Teeth grinding or clenching
• Stress
• Tooth loss
• Faulty dental procedures affecting the joint connection
• Injuries or trauma to the jaw region
• Prolonged and traumatic dental treatments
• Postural abnormalities
• Systemic disorders or tumors affecting the head or neck region
• Neurological or psychiatric problems
• Parafunctional habits such as chewing gum, nail biting, or pen biting.

How is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Treated?

The treatment is determined based on the specific disorder. In many cases, the symptoms are temporary and do not lead to serious problems. When the underlying causative factor is eliminated, the complaints decrease and eventually cease. In many situations, combinations of treatments yield positive results.

Soft Diet: Consuming foods that require minimal chewing reduces the pressure on the jaw joint and chewing muscles, thereby reducing the load on the joint. It is advisable to avoid large bites during meals.

Exercise and Heat Applications: Specific jaw opening and closing exercises recommended by a dentist, along with external applications of cold or heat to the joint area, help relieve joint discomfort.

Medications: Painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and muscle relaxants may be used to relieve muscle pain and prevent muscle contractions in the jaw.

Botulinum Toxin (Botox) Treatment: This treatment can reduce the activation of the chewing muscles that cause tension and prevent teeth grinding, thus relieving the load on the joint.

Splint Therapy: A splint is a transparent, removable device that is applied to the upper or lower jaw. Depending on the patient’s condition, it may need to be worn only while sleeping or continuously for 24 hours.

Arthroscopy: It can be defined as the process of externally washing the temporomandibular joint. Through the washing, diseased tissues are cleaned or the position of the disc and condyle is corrected.

Open Joint Surgery: Open joint surgery is performed in cases of the presence of tumorous structures or severe injury around the temporomandibular joint, and in cases of fractures.