The temporomandibular joint, more commonly known as the TMJ, is the joint that attaches the mandible to the temporal bone of the skull.
It is the only joint in the human body that functions synchronously with the opposite side. This gives it a unique bilateral characteristic.
It has a great variety of movements that we perform countless times throughout the day. These movements are vital for our survival and development as they help us to perform important functions such as swallowing, breathing or phonetics.
What kind of disorders can originate in it?
There are very diverse disorders in our TMJ and, what is more significant, we can suffer from different types at the same time.
The most common disorders are muscular disorders, followed by intrarticular disorders such as osteoarthrosis or joint disc displacements. In smaller numbers, but with greater clinical importance, we find neuralgic pathologies such as trigeminal neuralgia and headaches associated with the TMJ.
What can be the causes of these lesions?
The causes of TMJ disorders are still being studied in the scientific literature. We know that there is a multi-causality and the origin of the disorder cannot be narrowed down to a single factor.
Contributing factors include the patient’s own anatomical aspects in which we can include the type of occlusion. The patient’s psychosocial factors, i.e., lifestyle, stress, diet, physical and social activity have become one of the most important factors in the current era.
The genetic factor is also a key factor in the patient’s ability to develop a TMJ disorder, since there are people who are more prone to suffer from this type of pathology. And finally, the direct relationship with other endocrine, digestive, immunological and neurological pathologies that make the early diagnosis of TMJ disorders key.
What type of patients suffer from TMJ injuries?
Any person of any age can suffer from a TMJ disorder. It affects women in greater numbers, specifically middle-aged women. People with hyperlaxity in the joints, bruxers and also people suffering from endocrine, depressive or digestive disorders suffer more frequently from these pathologies.
How are injuries in this area treated?
Treatments include conservative therapies such as unloading splints or physiotherapy. But also drugs, infiltrations or surgeries are in our day to day therapies to be performed. Nor should we forget the importance of changing psychosocial habits to improve the effectiveness of treatments and avoid relapses.