FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TMJ SYMPTOMS

If you've come to this page first, you might also want to review a fuller description of the "Symptoms" page.

What are the most important symptoms I should be concerned about?

Pain, and or Jaw "locking" episodes.

What is a "locking" episode?

A "locking" episode can occur during opening or closing movement. What happens is that the patient experiences an interruption of jaw movement - a "catch" or a "stop", and in order to complete the movement must jiggle, or somehow, self manipulate the jaw.

Why does it happen?

Referring back to my anatomy lesson, and in the simplest of terms, what is happening within the Joint is that the Articular Disk which rides on top of the Condyle Head is getting stuck in the wrong place and is preventing the Condyle Head from moving.

If I can jiggle my jaw and reduce the dislocation, why should I be concerned?

Because each time it happens more damage is occuring to the tissues in the Joint, and the tissues controlling the Articular Disk. As a consequence there is the risk that if the problem is not addressed by appropriate treatment, one day you will be unable to reduce the dislocation yourself, and you will require an emergency visit to a TMJ practitioner, if one is available in your community, or an oral surgeon. In severe cases, reduction can only be accomplished under general anesthesia.

What is a limited range of opening?

If you open your mouth as wide as you can, and then place the last three fingers of your hand (middle, ring, and pinky) perpendicularly (with your thumb pointing to the ceiling) between your upper and lower teeth, you have a normal range of opening, provided that you can do that without pain and strain. In general, two fingers, or less, is a limited range of opening.

I can get four fingers in. What does that mean?

Not much. You may either have thin fingers, or you have slight hyper-extension. In the absence of pain, and other symptoms, not to worry.

I can only get two finger in. Does that mean I need treatment?

Here comes a typical doctor's answer - "that depends". It depends on several factors. The most important being, to what degree is this restricted jaw function affecting your quality of life. If you have no pain, and it is the ONLY symptom you have, and you never think about it, and you can eat anything you want without pain and strain. The answer is no. Otherwise the answer is yes.

I hear a lot of noises in my TM Joints when I move my jaws. Sometimes there is a kind of click, and sometimes there is a crunching or grinding sound. What's happening?

Probably lots of things. Joint noises during jaw movements are a sign that the functional elements are not working smoothly. Crunching grinding noises are called Crepitus, and it is associated with hard tissue contact during movement. In order to explain Clicking, you have to first know that the Articular Disk has, what is most simply described as, a depression, in the middle of it. That depression, and the Condyle Head are supposed to move together in sync. When they don't, and the Condyle Head passes over the outside ridge of the depression, you get a Click.

Is the presence of these Joint sounds serious?

Again, in the absence of other symptoms, no. BUT these Joint sounds are a sign that the Joint is not functioning smoothly, and each sound's occurrence is a micro trauma to the Joint tissues. This means that as time goes on, a full blown TM Joint disorder may develop. The correct approach, if you have TM Joint sounds during jaw movements in the absence of all other symptoms, is to tell your regular family Dentist about them, and he will keep your condition under observation.

Why are ear symptoms associated with TM Joint disorders?

Because of the close proximity of the ear tissues to the TM Joint. It is not uncommon to find on x-ray that the Condyle Head is improperly positioned in the Joint space such that it is in intimate contact with the Tympanic bone. The consequence often is ear pain in the absence of infection, a sense of fullness, or stuffiness, in one or both ears, and sometimes ringing in the ears. If you go to the "X-Ray Views" page, you can see these reasons graphically.