Your temporomandibular joint is the location where your jaw and upper bones of your skull meet. When you open and close your mouth to chew or speak, the temporomandibular joint is responsible. When you experience pain and discomfort in this jaw portion, the condition is known as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Sometimes TMD is also referred to as TMJ.

TMD can be a debilitating disease because it affects your abilities to eat and speak clearly. We offer treatments for TMD at our Bay City, MI dentist’s office. If you experience any of the following symptoms, please contact our office.

Sign 1: Your jaw makes noise when opening or closing.

Patients who have abnormalities of the temporomandibular joint may hear a clicking, grating or popping sound when opening and closing the jaw. You may also hear these symptoms when you are chewing. Sometimes you may experience pain along with these sounds. You also may feel your jaw is stuck or temporarily locked in place when trying to open and close your mouth.

Sign 2: Jaw or facial pain.

While sometimes TMD causes pain directly in the jaw - especially directly at the joint - other times, the pain can radiate elsewhere. Pain in your face, neck, shoulders or ears can also be the result of a TMD disorder. You may notice the pain worsens as you open and close your mouth.

Sign 3: A change in your teeth’s alignment.

If you feel you have more difficulty fitting your upper and lower teeth together, TMD could be to blame. Changes to the joint can affect how you open and close your mouth. Also, a contributing factor to TMD can be teeth grinding, which can cause your teeth to be more worn down on one side versus the other, which can affect your bite.

If you have symptoms of TMD, please call our Bay City, MI dentist’s office at (989) 892-7832. We can help you find relief from this painful condition.