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Home | Blog | TMJ Dysfunction & Jaw Pain

TMJ Dysfunction & Jaw Pain

 
TMJ Dysfunction

With the help and professional expertise of our Ace Certified practitioners, we can help resolve your jaw pain through treatment, specific exercises and education.

TMJ dysfunction (TMD), is a group of disorders of the masticatory system that results in jaw pain and tenderness. It is multifactorial, meaning, it can range from musculature dysfunction to joint ailments or both.

What causes it?

In most cases, the cause of TMD is unknown. Injury/trauma to the jaw can lead to some TMDs, but it is also found through research that genetics, oral health and stress can predispose an individual to TMDs (Lomas et al., 2018).

Other potential risk factors of developing TMJ dysfunction include: (Vizniak et al., 2022)

  • Disc derangement  jaw locking (open or closed lock)
  • Poor posture
  • Bruxism (teeth grinding) or clenching
  • Hyper/Hypomobile temporomandibular joint

Is TMJ dysfunction common?

TMD is more common than you think, where it affects roughly 60-70% of the population (Lomas et al., 2018). Most TMJ disorders are acute and generally go away on their own, However, there are cases where they can become chronic and debilitating if left untreated.

Who is most likely to get it?

Women aged 20-40 years are 4 times more likely to suffer from TMJ dysfunction than men aged 20-40 years (Lomas et al., 2018).

What are the symptoms?

(Burke, 2015)

  • Pain when chewing, either one side or both sides of the muscles and/or jaw joint
  • Referring pain to muscles of mastication (muscles involved in chewing):
  • Temporals (side of head)
  • Masseters (cheeks)
  • Lateral/medial pterygoids
  • This referring pain often causes headaches
  • Jaw locking (open or closed- most common is open locking).
  • Locking is where either the muscle goes into spasm and prevents full opening or closing of the jaw. Disc displacement where the disc sits either in front (closed lock) or behind (open lock) the condyle which causes the jaw to lock.
  • Limited range of motion in the jaw.
  • Jaw clicking or popping – can affect one or both sides.
  • Hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing of ears), dizziness.

If you are suffering from facial or TMJ pain, book online at https://www.acesportsclinic.com.au/ or give us a call on 03 9824 8001. We look forward to seeing you at Ace Sports Clinic and resolving your jaw pain for you.

By Dr Katie Murray (Osteopath)

Burke, D. (2015, May 26). Tmj (Temporomandibular joint) disorders. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/tmj-disorders

Lomas, J., Gurgenci, T., Jackson, C., & Campbell, D. (2018). Temporomandibular dysfunction. Australian Journal of General Practice, 47(4), 212–215. https://doi.org/10.31128/AFP-10-17-4375

Vizniak, N. A., Fairweather, L., Murray, N., Hussain, S., DeLapp, D., Eni, G., Davidson, T., & Hedrich, T. (2022). Evidence informed orthopedic conditions: 300+ patient centred principles and best practices (5th ed.). Professional Health Systems Inc.