The discomfort, discomfort, or swelling in the TM joint, the adjacent muscles, or the surrounding ligaments is what causes TMJ disease (TMD). Your TM joint is an incredibly sophisticated hinge that gives you a great deal of mobility, including opening and closing your mouth and shifting it to the side.
Your jaw joint performs hundreds of minute motions every day, most of which you are probably unaware of. Because its causes are yet unknown, TMD is considered a medical enigma. A hit to the face or head can cause it, although teeth grinding and clenching can also contribute to the problem. Displacement of the lubricating disc between the ear and the skull can potentially cause TMD. Read on to learn from a smile makeover Huntington Beach.
The Unanticipated Signs
Common signs of TMD include, predictably enough, discomfort when opening and closing the mouth, tightness in the jaw, and popping sounds. Nevertheless, some signs do not seem to be related to the jaw at all. Many patients go untreated for years even though help is available since the symptoms seem unrelated to the jaw. Among these unexpected manifestations are:
- Like TMD, the exact origin of TMJ-related tinnitus is a mystery to medical professionals. The muscles used for chewing and those used for moving the middle ear are quite close to one another. Therefore, this could be the explanation. On the other hand, the ligaments that hold the jaw in place also connect to a bone in the inner ear. Finally, some researchers have proposed that the TMJ’s nerves communicate with the brain’s auditory cortex.
- The connection between TMD and dizziness is still being studied. However, research suggests that inflammation in the jaw’s supporting muscles and ligaments can spread to the inner ear’s balance-regulating nerves.
- TMD and a misaligned bite (malocclusion) are frequently linked. Individuals with TMD might experience a modest speech handicap since proper pronunciation depends on more than just the vocal cords.
- TMD can lead to vision problems such as blurred vision, just as it can lead to hearing impairments. Vision problems, eye twitching, and sensitivity to light can result from inflamed optic nerves.
- TMJ sufferers also suffering from a neurological disorder may raise the neck at an abnormal position out of stress or in an attempt to reduce jaw pain. When the nerves around the neck become compressed, it can cause tingling and numbness in the extremities. Extreme forms of TMJ can bring on mental fog and tics that you can not control.
