What will happen if TMJ disorder is not treated?

TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) is a jaw joint, one on each side, acting as a hinge connecting the jaw to the skull. This disorder causes pain at the joints and to the jaw muscles. There is no one particular cause for this condition, and it can and does change from person to person and as such its treatment also varies.

What if it is left untreated? 

Left untreated, TMJ disorder can worsen, leading to excruciating levels of pain requiring immediate medical attention, possibly even surgery.

Untreated it can lead to other medical conditions. Self-medication to relieve the pain is a bad habit commonly found among TMJ patients and unfortunately if often leads to addiction. 

Constant and severe pain and the involuntary grinding of teeth also leads to sleep disturbance.

It can also adversely affect a person’s personal relationships, quality of life and also work performance, leading to depression.

Some patients consume only soft or liquid food or even not eat at all, leading to malnutrition and other eating disorders.

The constant clenching and grinding of teeth can lead to the worn teeth enamel and fractured teeth. TMJ patients also tend to favour one side of the jaw to the other leading to uneven muscle growth and swelling of the face. It also gives their face an uneven look.

As the TMJ is close to the ears, and it’s disorder can lead to symptoms like ringing or itching sensation of the ears. Body balance and vision can also be compromised.

This disorder can also cause serious jaw problems like Lock Jaw, where the jaw becomes permanently stuck, leading to a hospital visit.

All this is totally unnecessary as the disorder can be quickly and efficiently treated.

Reviewed By :Dr Rajesh Raveendranathan

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Is age an influential factor of TMJ disorder?

Temporomandibular Joint (T.M.J) is a joint in the human jaw that acts as a hinge connecting the jaw to the skull. TMJ Disorders (T.M.J.D) is considered to involve pain in and around the jaw joint caused by spasming of facial muscles due to displaced TMJ. 

Earlier, it was believed that this disorder was more prevalent in women than men. But, it has been found to be not so. Both men and women are equally affected. 

Is age an influential factor?  Studies have shown peak prevalence in the middle-aged population. 

TMJ is not one disease, but a combination of many. It is classified into three disorders; namely, that of the muscle, disk and joint. And, at all three of these parts of the human body, degeneration occurs and progresses as the age of the person advances. If not diagnosed properly it is shown that 40-70 percent of the population over the age of 65 have TMJ degeneration. 

However, in the majority of the cases, there are no obvious clinical symptoms and the disorder resolves all by itself. But, in at least 15 percent of the cases the disease worsens. It is now believed that as body ages, the functional demands of TMJ may exceed the repair and remodeling capability of the body, leading to degeneration.

Women above 50, during their menopause, are more likely to suffer TMJ degeneration than men, due to extremely varying hormone levels. Muscle disorders among the elderly and their unwillingness to seek TMJ degeneration treatment are also factors. 

All this shows that while age, though influential, is just one of the many factors involved.

Reviewed By :Dr Rajesh Raveendranathan

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We Provide Better TMJ Pain Care

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome is a pain in the jaw joint that can be caused by a variety of medical problems. The TMJ connects the lower jaw to the skull in front of the ear. Certain facial muscles that control chewing are also attached to the lower jaw. It is a disorder of the temporomandibular joint that causes pain, usually in front of the ear, sometimes in the form of a headache. 

Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome Symptoms

TMJ pain causes dull, aching pain, which comes and goes in the jaw joint and nearby areas other common symptoms of TMJ disorder includes:

• Pain in your face, jaw joint area, shoulders, and neck and in or around the ear when you speak, chew, or open your mouth wide
• Limited movement of jaws and jaws that get locked while opening or  closing the mouth
• Painful clicking, popping, or grating sounds are experienced in the jaw joint when you open or close your mouth or chew
• Stiffness in the jaw muscle
• Trouble chewing or uncomfortable feeling while biting as if the upper and lower teeth are not fitting together properly
• Earache, headache, migraine or blocked sensation in the ear
• Tinnitus and vision problems

Causes of Temporomandibular Joint(TMJ) Syndrome

Pain in the TMJ can be due to trauma such as a blow to the face, inflammatory or degenerative arthritis, poor dental work, or structural defects that push the mandible back towards the ears whenever the patient chews or swallows. Grinding or clenching the teeth due to stress is a frequent culprit. Sometimes, muscles around the TMJ used for mastication will get caught in a spasm, causing head and neck pain, and problem gaps between the teeth.

Treatment for Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome

A Doctor can diagnose TMJ syndrome by taking the patient's case history and doing a physical test to search out the reason for the symptoms. There are no specific reason that define TMJ syndrome through diagnosing just by taking a look. A doctor could send the patient to an oral and external body part specialist, an ENT specialist (also referred to as an ear, nose, and throat doctor) or a medical man specializing in jaw disorders. Sometimes a magnetic resonance imaging of the articulation temporomandibular is also ordered to discover injury to the gristle of the jaw joint and to rule out alternative medical issues.

Indra Craniofacial Pain Relief India (ICPRI) is the best clinical care unit for Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome Treatment in India. Dr. Rajesh is building his team all over India through the NMDI (Neuromuscular Dentistry India) Club and ICCMO India section. We have eminent dentists from all specializations working with ardor to help our patients. 

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