What Causes TMJ Pain and How You Can Prevent The Pain

The TMJ, which is also known as the Temporomandibular joint is the triangle-shaped area connecting the lower jaw to temporal bone or skull. It enables you to open and close your mouth. If you experience jaw pain while opening your mouth, you may be suffering from TMJ. It is more common in women than men and it can be experienced between the ages of 20 to 40, says the dentist in Wilmington, MA.

What does Jaw Joint Pain Feel Like?

According to TMJ near me, you can feel the pain in one or both the joints, and it can be either temporary or can last for a lifetime. Even after getting treated, it can happen again. The pain reflects in the form of tenderness in the jaw, or aching feeling in the face, says the dentist in Wilmington.

Common Causes of TMJ

The causes of TMJ fall into two categories, namely behavioral and medical. Let’s have a look:

Behavioral causes

• Jaw Injury such as blow to the jaw or injury to the head or the neck.
• Bruxism can cause constant wear and tear on the joint causing jaw to move out of alignment.
• Teeth Clenching due to stress or anger can also cause TMJ pain.
• Incorrect Posture such as pulling your head and neck forward while on computer can cause the joints to move out of the alignment.

Medical Causes of TMJ

• Various types of arthritis can cause pain.
• Certain auto- immune disease can also lead to bone and joint pain in the jaw.
• Because of estrogen, women are more prone to the TMJ pain as compared to men, says the TMJ dentist near me.

Testing

The dentist may use various ways for determining the cause of TMJ pain such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRI.

Treatment

The common treatment options include medications, occlusal appliances, therapies, and surgical treatments.

It’s said that TMJ can affect as many as 33% of people in their lifetime so make sure you get treated early, if you see signs of TMJ bothering you.