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What causes TMJ Disorders?

***There are several contributing factors and several ways you can get TMJ disorder. The jaw joint is the most used joint in your entire body, and one of the most delicate. From a simple bump to a severe car accident, you can be the next victim of TMD.***

Trauma:

According to statistics published in the Journal of the American Dental Association in 1990,* 44% to 99% of TMJ problems are caused by trauma. By trauma, we mean an injury as obvious as a blow to the jaw with a fist or something as subtle as a whiplash injury with direct trauma to the head or jaw. (*JADA 1990;120:267) Thing that are considered trauma are NOT just car accidents or major injuries. Several things we classify as trauma include; your child head butting you in the chin, sports injuries, recreational vehicle accidents, skiing, weight lifting, running, a fall of any degree, and the list continues but as you can see there are countless ways this type of injury can occur.

Cervical Acceleration/Deceleration (Whiplash):

Whiplash is one common cause of TMD and can be caused from a motor vehicle accident or other such trauma.

Common complaints following a CAD or Whiplash injury may include:

1. Neck pain

2. Neck stiffness (difficulty in turning the head)

3. Headaches (especially, temporal and occipital --where neck attaches to head)

4. Back pain

5. TMJ symptoms (joint pain, limited opening of the mouth, change in bite, TMJ noises, pain in face and TMJs with mouth opening, ear pain)

6. Dizziness

7. Visual changes (light sensitivity, blurred vision, pain behind the eyes, etc.)

8. Swallowing difficulties and even hoarseness

9. Change in the fit of the teeth or bite.

Air Bag Deployment

Direct trauma to the mandible in auto accidents, like indirect trauma in whiplash injuries, are both known to produce TMJ injuries. Recently, however, the advent of air bags, which no doubt have saved numerous lives, has been implicated in causing TMJ problems.

Patients who have been injured with air bags often have the following symptoms:

1. Burned or abraded skin on the chin, face and even the nose

2. TMJ pain

3. Swelling of the TMJs

4. Limited mouth opening

5. Lateral and cervical neck pain

6. Change in the fit of the teeth coming together

Opening Too Wide:

All joints have limitations to movement and the TMJ is no exception. If you open wide for a long time, or if your mouth is forced wide open, ligaments again may be stretched or torn. Swelling and bruising develop and disc dislocation may occur. For example, if your mouth is open for a long time at the dental office while having a root canal, an extraction or a tooth prepared for a crown, the joint can dislocate. This rarely happens without a prior history of trauma; however, it does happen. Also, this type of injury may occur if someone's mouth is opened too wide when they are being put to sleep for surgery. Again, both of these examples are accidental and consequences of the given procedures.

Copyright 2011 The TMJ Sleep Center • 1777 E. Clark Suite 240 • Pocatello, Idaho 83201

Phone: 208-234-PAIN (7246) • Fax: 208-232-0207