What is TMJ?

TMJ literally means temporomandibular joint. It is an anatomic structure in the craniofacial complex and a true joint as recognized by the scientific community.

We often have patients mention that their previous dentist told them they had/have “TMJ”. While I do not expect patients to realize that this is not actually a diagnosis of anything, I used to expect that my colleagues would be a bit more astute in their patient interactions; yeah, not so much! I typically turn the conversation into a humorous interaction by telling patients that it was nice of their previous practitioner to let them know that they did have the proper anatomical structures in their head. From here I usual say, if an orthopedic surgeon told you that you had “knee” when you told him/her that your knee was popping and clicking with every step you took, you’d think they were nuts.

Unfortunately, most of the dental profession has passed on misguided, though well-meant, information to patients for quite some time and it would seem that like old habits, this one is is going to die hard as well. Like other joints in the body, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can lapse from normal function into a dysfunctional state. This dysfunction can be of varying degrees and may have a myriad of causes. If practitioners would tell patients that they had temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD), while a patient would be no closer to understanding what to do about the situation, it would be far more truthful and accurate. This might seem to be a bit pedantic on my part, but if patients received accurate diagnoses earlier and then became educated on the possible outcomes of not seeking therapy, they might have much better outcomes throughout their lives.

Most of the patients we try to help with the dysfunctional conditions they have, began experiencing symptoms during their teenage years and as a result of poor education, suffered varying degrees of pain and dysfunctional conditions that they had never associated as possibly being connected to their jaw joints. Like everything else in life, if you catch early and when it’s smaller you have a much better chance at a decent recovery.

If you are experiencing a problem with one or both of your jaw joints or your having other craniofacial issues and you’re now wondering if your jaw joints are the problem, give us a call and we would be happy to do a brief consultation with you.

Written by Dr. Steven Leon.