Is This Tmj Or Something Else

TMJ or something else?

Clicking/popping of the jaws is diagnostic of a TMJ disorder so you do indeed have TMJ. Your dentist brushed it off because he does not know what to do about it and he does not know of anyone who does. So he does what most dentists who do not know how to treat TMJ disorders do - he swept it under the rug and ignored it. Check this site to find someone who can help: www.iaortho.org.

You are in an early stage of TMJ called reciprocal clicking and pain is beginning to settle in because the muscles around the mouth and jaw area can no longer put up with all the stress, strain, and trauma of a continually dislocating articular disk (the cause of the clicking). TMJ never goes away and always gets worse over time. The next stage you will develop is called intermittent locking or a closed lock with reduction. At this stage the articular disk will no longer be able to pop back into joint easily and begin to hang up or get stuck. When this happens the disk acts like a doorstop to prevent your mouth from opening more than 3 fingers wide. If you continue to put off treatment, you will eventually reach a stage called a closed lock without reduction. That means the disk will no longer be able to pop back into place and is permanently dislocated. This stage is extremely difficult to treat conservatively so it would be in your best interest to find a dentist who knows how to treat TMJ asap. BTW, avoid oral surgeons and traditional orthodontists in your early search (when your jaws are still clicking).

I have TMJ. Should i get a MTI (night guard)? Or is there something more affordable thats as effective?

My dentist said getting a custom MTI (night guard) would relieve my tmj (popping jaw) to some degree. But its really expensive round $500. Is there something else i could buy in store that would be as effective? I dont want to buy something that costs $500 if theres something just as effective thats more generally priced (or reasonably priced).

TMJ maybe? Something else wrong with my jaw?

The trauma to your jaw has cause a TMJ disorder. The clicking is called reciprocal clicking and is caused by a structure that is part of the jaw joint called the articular disk dislocating whenever your teeth come together and going back into place when you open. In order for the mandible to open wide the articular disk must be in the correct position on the head of the condyles (jaw joint). Since it has been so long since the incident, it is not likely that the temporomandibular joint will heal on its own and further intervention will be necessary. That means if you want your condition fixed then you will need to find a dentist who knows how to treat TMJ (not all do) but avoid oral surgeons and traditional orthodontists, trust me. If your accident caused an internal derangement then your TMJ disorder will never go away and always get worse over time until it is corrected. Reciprocal clicking will worsen to intermittent locking of the jaw and as time passes it will become more frequent and harder to get the jaw to open more than 3 fingers wide. This is called a closed lock with reduction. Eventually the disk will stay dislocated and the mouth will have limited opening and the clicking will go away. This is called a closed lock without reduction and although there are no more jaw noises, it actually means the condition has gotten worse. No more noises means the disk is not reducing (going back into place) and this makes treatment extremely difficult.

Do i have tetanus or tmj or something else?

for the last three days i have been experiencing mild pain or more like discomfort in my jaw. my jaw feels like its swollen, also my tongue. my jaw cracks almost every time i stretch it. i have a sore throat but no fever or other cold symptoms. I have been getting head aces and mild ear aces. The reason i think it could be tetanus is because this came after a got a tiny cut from a chain fence at school in my hand. i put alcohol 15 minutes later .it already healed and is not noticeable. I also have anxiety disorder so i think it could be tmj, its one of the symptoms. Does tetanus show signs for days or just when it hits?

Will TMJ cause ringing in the ears?

I have TMJ, and i'm in the process of getting it fixed with a retainer, it's getting better, slowly but surley. I've just noticed lately during this whole realigning jaw mess that my ears have been ringing a lot lately, and it's getting irriating. Would it be caused by TMJ or something else. Thanks in advance! :)

Bruised jaw!? (tmj) please help!?

ok so im 13 and have tmj ... well today i just noticed i have a bruise on the lower lft jaw that is also on the neck ... it hurts REALLY bad so is this tmj or something else? i didnt do anything to it and i cant go see a doctor cuz im going out of town tomorrow so what can i do about the pain and what is this?

TMJ/Jaw Problems?

Sorry to hear your jaw is giving you pain, but you aren't alone. It sounds like you have TMJ. I have seen many patients with TMJ symptoms otherwise known as Temperomandibular Joint disorder. Between the upper jaw and lower jaw there is a donut shaped disc that acts as cushion and its possible that your's is slipping out of place which is causing the problem. It can be caused by a blow to the mouth or other traumas. Basically you need to be kind to yourself right now. You might consider taking some anti-inflammatory medicine (advil) and apply some heat to the area. You should cut your food into small pieces and try to stick with softer foods, obviously no gum chewing. You should not be opening your jaw wide, not that you would probably want to right now. That is typically how TMJ is treated unless it is a very severe case, then a surgical procedure may be warranted. You should try to see your dentist and have this evaluated. They might recommend a mouthguard for you to wear to provide a cushion between the upper and lower teeth to help rest the muscles and prevent clenching during your sleep.

Hope this helps!
JAMRDH - a dental hygienist