What are Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMD)? From clicking the jaw to suffering severe pain, temporomandibular joint disorders, also known as TMD can take a toll on our health, and in turn, hinder our daily life. Dr. Ahmed Moustafa Salloum, Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Specialist of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery reveals key coping mechanisms to help.
TMD defined
The temporomandibular disorders are considered to be multifactorial disorders where many factors, either external or internal can share in the precipitating of such a disorder.
The most common causes of TMD
According to Dr. Salloum, some of the most common causes of TMD include: trauma to the jaw, joint or the muscles of the head and neck; an improper bite or a crowding of teeth; grinding or clenching of your teeth which puts too much pressure on the joint; arthritis in the joint; and stress, which can cause you to tighten
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the facial and jaw muscles.
The signs and symptoms
TMD is considered an annoying problem due to the long duration of the disorder along with the
occasional accompanying flare-ups. “Usually the attacks are related to stress, eating hard food, and/or trauma to the jaw,” he says. “TMD is presented with one or more of the following: a pain in and around the jaw
