TMJ Pain Relief

As TMJ tooth pain we consider a toothache that is caused by problems related with the temporomandibular joint, that connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the skull. Although it may feel like one, it is not actually a tooth pain but a joint pain. In most cases of tmj tooth pain there is nothing wrong with your teeth.

TMJ tooth pain is related with TMJ syndrome, a group of disorders originating either from the temporomandibular joint or from the muscles that support it. Common tmj problems include:

• Muscle problems – Inflammation and pain caused by excessive pressure on the muscles responsible for the movement of the jaw, usually referred as myofascial pain.
• Disc problems - Dislocation or damage of the cartilage disk inside the joint between the two jaws.
• Joint problems – Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the TMJ.

The following conditions are considered as root causes of tmj tooth pain:

• Bite problems - Malocclusion (misalignment of the teeth) causing uneven pressure on mastication muscles.
• Bruxism - Teeth grinding causes wear of the cartilage disc of the joint while teeth clenching is putting stress on the facial muscles.
• Emotional stress and anxiety causing muscle tension.
• Accidental injuries to the temporomandibular joint, jaws, or muscles.
• Over-stretching of the jaw.

Any of these conditions that may result to the inflammation or injury of the temporomandibular joint or of the muscles can also cause reflected pain to a tooth or teeth.

The teeth where the tmj tooth pain is felt can be completely healthy, but many times the pain looks so convincingly like it is caused by a specific tooth, that may lead to unnecessary treatments. A misdiagnosed tmj tooth pain can lead to the extraction of a wisdom tooth or to a root canal to a healthy tooth. The dentist should properly evaluate the possibility of tmj problems before proceeding to any therapy.

Several symptoms can give an indication that a toothache is actually caused by a tmj disorder.

• A clicking or popping noise of the jaw when chewing or opening the mouth is the most common sign of tmj problems.
• Pain in the jaw joint area, neck and shoulders.
• Headache or ear ache.
• Inability to open the mouth very wide
• Locking jaw

If any of the above symptoms is also present along with a toothache, a thorough examination by the dentist is required to identify if the toothache is caused by a tooth related pain or it is a side effect of a tmj problem. Confusing a tmj tooth pain with a wisdom tooth pain is the most common case of misdiagnosing tmj problems.