Know About The Causes Of TMJ Disorder

TMJ disorder, also known as, Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome, is a situation in which the patient suffers from immense pain in the jaw. The TMJ connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the skull (temporal bone). Therefore, any minor abnormality in this area causes immense pain in the neck, head, face, and ear. According to the dentists, TMJ is a serious disease and can be caused for a wide variety of reasons.

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In this blog, we have represented 3 major reasons that cause this serious dental disease. Scroll down to know more:

1. Trauma

Trauma is one of the primary causes of TMJ disorder. According to the dentists, trauma is the root cause of TMJ in sixty percent of the patients. Trauma can further be subdivided into two categories – microtrauma and macrotrauma. Microtrauma is caused by internal oral issues, such as bruxism and jaw tightening, while macrotrauma is a result of external shock and injury.

In the case of a microtrauma, the continuous hammering on the temporomandibular joint changes the alignment of the teeth. Additionally, the muscle involvement results in inflammation of the membranes encompassing the joint. Macrtotrauma, on the other hand, is a direct result of a severe physical impact on the jaw bone. It can be caused either by an accident or by a physical tussle. If the impact is too severe, it can even break or dislocate the jaw bone. Damage to the cartilage disc of the joint can also be a probable outcome.

2. Osteoarthritis

Like all the other joints in the body, the jaw bone is also prone to arthritic attacks. In most cases, the attacks are caused by the breakdown of the joints or normal wear and tear. As per the dentists, a degenerative joint results in loss of cartilage and formation of new bone at the surface of the joint. As age increases, the rate of degeneration of the bones also increases. In this way, your jaw bone gets affected, and you start suffering from TMJ disorder.

3. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis causes massive inflation in the joints and adversely affects the TMJ. As it progresses, the disease causes massive destruction of cartilage and bones. In the long run, it causes deformity. Dentists say that that rheumatoid arthritis is autoimmune, and adversely affects various organs. Joint inflammation, joint infection, cancer, and bone deformity are the common outcomes.

TMJ disorder is one of the deadliest gum diseases known to mankind. You must not neglect to visit a dentist if you ever experience severe pain in the jaw bone. If you are a resident of Nashua, then we, at Advanced Family Dentistry – Nashua, NH, can definitely help you out. Our experienced dentists have been dealing with TMJ disorder for quite some time now, and are aware of all the treatment procedures.

Give us a call at (603) 821-9046 to book an appointment today!