The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. TMJ disorders can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.

Some symptoms resulting from TMJ disorder include:

• Pain or tenderness of your jaw
• Pain in one or both of the temporomandibular joints
• Aching pain in and around your ear
• Difficulty chewing or pain while chewing
• Aching facial pain
• Locking of the joint, making it difficult to open or close your mouth

Causes of TMJ disorder are hard to determine and range from person to person. Genetics, arthritis, jaw injury, or clenching and grinding can be factors.

In most cases, the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ disorders is temporary and can be relieved with self-managed care or nonsurgical treatments. If you’re experiencing issues that are unmanageable our dentists at Hillside Dental can diagnose and prescribe different options. Give us a call for a TMJ disorder consultation!