5 Warning Signs of TMJ

Your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a hinge that connects your skull to the side of your jaw. This vital joint allows you to talk, chew, laugh, and move your jaw from side to side. Because your jaw has such a wide range of motion, it’s prone to a variety of issues. 

If you have TMJ trouble, you can experience jaw pain and clicking. A problem with these joints is referred to as a TMJ disorder, or simply TMJ. 

This common affliction has multiple different causes and a variety of symptoms, which is why it’s sometimes difficult to recognize and realize that you need treatment. And it’s important to seek treatment for TMJ to avoid potentially serious oral health complications. 

At Andreacola Family Dentistry in Marlton, New Jersey, Lynn M. Andreacola, DMD, leads our team in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ to protect your jaw and promote long-term oral health. Here, we present the five warning signs that you could have TMJ and explain how we can help. 

Do you have TMJ?

You can develop TMJ for numerous reasons. In some cases, it’s your jaw muscle or joint anatomy that leads to a TMJ disorder, but factors such as a jaw injury, teeth grinding, or arthritis of the jaw also can trigger TMJ development. 

No matter the reason, these are the telltale ways that TMJ can affect you:

1. Jaw pain, clicking, popping, and locking
2. Tooth, neck, and general face pain 
3. Headaches
4. Ear pain and ringing in your ears (tinnitus) 
5. Facial spasms

All of these symptoms can make it difficult to chew, talk, swallow, and yawn. 

Seeking treatment for TMJ

If you’re regularly experiencing any of the warning signs listed above, it’s important to seek treatment from Dr. Andreacola and our team. 

While TMJ can resolve on its own, your jaw can become seriously misaligned if it worsens. And significant jaw misalignment can cause severe pain and heighten your risk for oral health issues such as tooth decay and gum disease. 

Most often, conservative treatments are enough to address TMJ. These include:

• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce TMJ pain
• Eating soft foods 
• Performing jaw stretching exercises
• Resting your jaw whenever possible
• Applying warm compresses to painful areas
• Wearing a mouthguard at night 

Our team can provide you with a list of TMJ treatment-specific exercises, recommend a customized mouthguard for you to wear at night, and prescribe stronger pain relievers as needed. In severe cases, surgery can address severe TMJ that doesn’t respond to the first lines of treatment.

To get started with expert-level TMJ treatment, schedule an appointment with the Andreacola Family Dentistry team by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.