Do you experience pain, discomfort, a popping/clicking feeling while opening and closing your mouth? This may be a sign of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (or TMD). What are Temporomandibular Joints (TMJ)? Your TMJs connect the jaw to the skull with several muscles and ligaments. Temporomandibular joints open and close our mouths when eating, speaking, or swallowing. TMD occurs if a jaw joint is not functioning correctly, and thus can cause pain.

Common Symptoms of TMD often seem unrelated, until they are properly diagnosed. They include:

• Pain in the following muscle areas: head, face, ear, neck, throat, shoulder and back clicking
• Grinding or popping noises from your jaw
• Pain and pressure behind the eyes
• Swelling on the side of the face
• Difficulty opening the mouth (especially very wide) and closing your teeth together
• Headaches, toothaches, neck aches, dizziness, earaches, and hearing problems

How are TMDs diagnosed and treated? At Yorkville Dental Arts we will provide you with a thorough check up. We will examine your temporomandibular joints for pain and tenderness and listen and feel for popping or grating during jaw movement. A panoramic x-ray of your jaw will also allow us to examine your entire jaw to ensure that there is no other underlying problem.