What are TMJDs? - About TMJ

Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMJDs), commonly called "TMJ," are a group of conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement. One or both joints may be affected in people with TMJDs, which can affect a person's ability to speak, eat, chew, swallow, make facial expressions, and even breathe.

Researchers generally agree that the conditions fall into three main categories:

* Myofascial pain, the most common, involves discomfort or pain in the muscles that control jaw function.
* Internal derangement of the joint involves a displaced disc, dislocated jaw, or injury to the condyle.
* Arthritis refers to a group of degenerative/inflammatory joint disorders that can affect the temporomandibular joint.

A person may have one or more of these conditions at the same time. People diagnosed with TMJDs may be experiencing other symptoms and medical conditions as part of broader multi-systems illnesses that go unrecognized. Patients with TMJDs are most often diagnosed and treated primarily by dentists or oral surgeons, while another medical professional may be treating them for other conditions.