Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Surgery (TMJ or TMD)
The jaw joint, or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is named after the two bones that comprise the joint: the Temporal bone of the skull and the Mandible (jaw bone).
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ or TMD for short) can result serious head, neck and back pain. Are you suffering from these symptoms? Have you tried chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncture, etcetera... all without relieving your pain? Perhaps you should consult with an advanced surgery dentist to see if you might have this painful but common disorder.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery is performed on patients who suffer from some sort of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). The temporomandibular joints are the two joints that connect the jaw to the skull. TMD is a misalignment of of these two joints. The most common symptoms of temporomandibular disorder include a looseness in the joints, clicking noises as you open or close your mouth, and discomfort or pain in the muscles that control jaw function and the neck and shoulder muscles. This is known as Myofascial pain. Advanced surgery dentists who specialize in TMJ / TMD surgical procedures will work to realign the temporomandibular joints, which should alleviate the pain.
Another similar disorder has to do with the hyoid bone. The way to tell whether you have a TMJ disorder or a problem with your hyoid bone is to locate the temporomandibular joints on either side of your face (place your fingers right in front of your ears) and check for popping, clicking or grinding as you slowly move your jaw from left to right. As you move your jaw to the left, the TMJ on the right should pop out against your finger, and vice versa. This is normal, but if you feel or hear any grinding, popping or clicking you may have a TMJ disorder.
You can read more about TMJ disorders at MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI) is also a good resource to learn more about TMJ / TMD and neuromuscular dentistry treatment in general.