What Is Temporomandibular Jaw Dysfunction?

Temporomandibular jaw dysfunction (TMD) is a condition characterized by the stiffening of the joint connecting the lower jaw (mandible) with the skull located at the point in front of the ears. The condition results in pain which is often of a radiating kind involving the facial muscles, neck and shoulders along with recurrent headaches and marked by clicking noises while chewing or in some cases while speaking.

TMD is caused due to several reasons as diverse as injury resulting from a blow to the jaw, stress which causes one to clamp the jaws tightly and grind teeth often unconsciously especially at night time, as a result of age induced degeneration of the joint or due to dental restructuring of the jaw.

The natural mechanism of the jaw to shut in alignment gets disturbed which further aggravates the problem; the condition can be rectified with the help of special jaw exercises, breathing techniques to alleviate stress, medications like painkillers and anti depressants, wearing a splint or heat and cold treatments. Things to be avoided are caffeine, chewing gum, foods that are crunchy and opening the jaw too widely.