If you like being able to bite, chew, speak and smile, you can thank your temporomandibular joints -- otherwise known as TMJ’s or jaw joints. Humans have two TMJ’s -- one in front of each ear. The TMJ connects the lower jaw bone to the skull and allows our jaws to move up and down, side to side and forward and back.

TMJ Disorder

As with most things that get used a lot, the TMJ’s are vulnerable to pain and dysfunction. Jaw, head or neck injuries can cause TMJ disorder. So can arthritis. Stress is also a factor. If you grind your teeth, that can hurt your jaws, too. TMJ disorder also tends to affect women of childbearing age, as well as older men and women.

The most common symptom of TMJ disorder is a dull aching pain in the jaw joints and ear. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you may not experience any pain -- but you’ll probably have problems using your jaws.

Other symptoms of TMJ disorder include:

- Clicking or popping sounds in the jaw joint
- Jaw lock
- A bite that feels uncomfortable or “off”
- Neck, shoulder and back pain
- Swelling on the side of the face

TMJ disorder can also cause ringing in the ears, dizziness and vision problems.

When to Get Help

Some people love to seek professional help in times of pain. Others would rather grin and bear it. When it comes to jaw pain, keep in mind that occasional discomfort is common and not always a cause for concern. Jaw pain can even get better without treatment.

However, if your jaw pain is severe and it lasts for more than a few weeks, you should see your dentist or doctor.

Treatment depends on the severity of your condition, and the goal is to minimize the pain and get your jaws working properly again. Although oral surgery is an option, many dentists prefer to treat TMJ disorder with conservative and reversible treatments first.

Non-surgical treatments of TMJ disorder include:

- Wearing a mouthguard
- Applying moist heat to the jaws
- Eating soft foods
- Jaw and neck exercises
- Taking ibuprofen

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