Posted on: September 5, 2019

 

Have you experienced bothersome pain or soreness in you jaw and face? If so, you are possibly experiencing an issue with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The temporomandibular joint acts like a hinge, which connects to your jawbone and skull.

If your daily pain includes struggling to move your jaw, you should seek help from a dental professional. Learn what a dentist will do to determine if you have one of the many disorders related to TMJ. Learn what you can do at home to figure out if you are experiencing TMJ symptoms.

When you go to consult with a dentist on if you have TMJ, they will complete a series of testing to determine whether or not TMJ is in fact the disorder being experienced. Here are some of the tests your doctor will perform when screening for TMJ symptoms:

Touch: your dentist will use their fingers to apply a bit of pressure to the jaw and TMJ to test for tenderness and pain.

Hearing:  the dentist will listen for popping and clicking sounds when you open and close your mouth

Sight:  your dentist will look inside your mouth for signs of teeth grinding, clenching and alignment issues. They’ll also use X-Rays, if they’ve found evidence of a TMJ disorder.

Before you consult with your dentist, you may want to do checks you can perform on yourself. This will rule out if your symptoms are similar to TMJ Disorder symptoms. When you are checking, look for pain or soreness in your jaw, or around the ear or if you are having difficulty opening and closing your mouth.

If you notice at least one of the above symptoms, even occasionally, it’s a good idea to mention it to your dentist.

Find out for sure what’s causing the pain in your jaw, face or head. Call your dentist to schedule a consultation. Your dentist will be able to walk you through about your treatment options for issues with TMJ.