A blue gloved hand points to the TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, of the jaw

What Does TMJ Mean?

December 31, 2022 8:08 am

ADA is short for the American Dental Association. DDS stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery. DMD means Doctor of Dental Medicine or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry. TMJ is another acronym that comes up a lot in dental care.

TMJ 101

TMJ is the acronym for the temporomandibular joint. That’s quite the mouthful so you can see why patients and dental care providers often refer to it as TMJ for short! The TMJ is the joint where your lower jawbone, called the mandible, connects to the temporal bone of your skull. You have two in total—one on either side of your head in front of your ear. As small as they may seem, these joints play a big role in everyday activities like chewing and speaking. They are used anytime you open or close your mouth.

The Deal with TMD

TMD is another acronym associated with the TMJ. TMD stands for temporomandibular disorder or dysfunction. This type of disorder is characterized by pain or dysfunction in the TMJ. TMD can be caused by a variety of things like head injury, arthritis, stress, overuse, teeth misalignment, and teeth grinding.

If you notice that you have issues trying to open up your mouth, or that there’s pain, clicking, popping, or snapping in your jaw when you’re chewing or speaking, then it’s possible that there’s something going on with your TMJ and you might have TMD. In that case, we recommend scheduling an appointment with your dentist so they can determine what’s going on and design a helpful treatment plan.

Improve Your Jaw Health at Southern Dental Munford!

If you’re in the Munford area, Southern Dental Munford would be happy to be the dental team that checks out your TMJ and gets you back to a bright, happy smile. Contact us today to make an appointment at our welcoming, family-friendly office! Our team looks forward to helping you in any way that we can with our comprehensive dental services.

Categorised in: Oral Health

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What Does TMJ Mean?

TMJ 101

The Deal with TMD

Improve Your Jaw Health at Southern Dental Munford!

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