Table of Contents:
- What is the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)?
- Function of the TMJ
- Pathologies that can affect the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
- What is the treatment of the pathologies of the TMJ?
- What specialists treat TMJ pathologies?
What is the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)?
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint formed by the upper part of the mandible and the temporal bone of the skull. This bone acts as a sliding hinge and, in some cases, can present problems due to the complexity of the movements it performs.
In the TMJ, which is constituted by ligaments, muscles, vascular and nervous irrigation, two main parts can be distinguished:
- Articular part of the temporal bone and upper part of the disc.
- Inferior part of the disc and the condyle of the mandible.
This joint joins the bones of the face to the skull and is double, that is, there is one on each side of the head. It performs three types of movement: up and down, forward and backward, and to both sides.
Function of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
The function of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is to allow and ensure that people can open and close their mouth to perform the following functions:
- Chewing
- Biting
- Talking
- Breathing
- Yawning
- Gesturing
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint formed by the upper part of the mandible and the temporal bone of the skull.
by the upper part of the jaw and the temporal bone of the skull.
Pathologies that the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can suffer from
The pathologies that this joint may suffer are related to certain factors such as bruxism, trauma, bad habits and certain types of occlusion can produce some disorder in the functioning of the TMJ, causing a decrease in the quality of life by not being able to perform normally acts such as eating or yawning.
These alterations can cause pain in the jaw, in the ears, in the head, in the neck and in the muscles that control the movement of the jaw. In addition, it often leads to chewing problems.
The specific cause of TMJ disorder is not easy to determine, because the pain may be caused by a combination of factors, such as genetics, arthritis or injury to the jaw.
Treatments for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathologies
To correct temporomandibular joint disorders, the patient can benefit from a series of treatments that allow to solve the causes that have provoked the disorder and thus improve the symptoms until they are eliminated.
These treatments depend on the pathology suffered in each case. Generally, combined therapies (physiotherapy, acupuncture, psychology, osteopathy…) are used, as well as analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs. Surgery is always a last resort, as it is used in case conservative treatment has not been successful, but some people suffering from TMJ disorders may benefit from surgical treatments.
Specialist treating temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathology
The approach to the pathologies of the temporomandibular joint is multiple, so there are different specialists in charge of its treatment: the vision of the Maxillofacial Surgeon, the odontostomatologist and the physiotherapist. Between the three specialties a treatment is provided that will always be effective.