Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ or TMD) is common and frequently misattributed. Severe headaches, jaw pain, grinding teeth and intermittent ringing in the ears are often traced back to the jaw joint — something a dentist can treat.
What are the symptoms?
- Recurring headaches, often mistaken for migraines or eye strain
- Jaw pain, tenderness or clicking, from mild to debilitating
- Grinding or clenching the teeth, frequently during sleep
- Intermittent ringing in the ears
- Neck pain and dizziness, especially during intense episodes
Most sufferers have no idea a dentist is the person to ask. Symptoms typically worsen during prolonged or unexpected stress.
What causes it?
The most common cause is misalignment of the teeth — a “bad bite.” When the bite is off, the muscles that close the jaw work against themselves for hours a day, and the joint and muscles take the strain. Other contributors include grinding, trauma, arthritis in the joint and habitual clenching under stress.
How is it treated?
Pain relief comes first. From there, the aim is the underlying cause rather than the symptom:
- Bite adjustment or realignment — in many cases the teeth can be adjusted or realigned without painful or expensive intervention
- A custom appliance or night guard to unload the joint and protect against grinding
- Botox for TMJ — injected into the overactive muscles of mastication to reduce clenching force. Dr. Boiano has treated TMJ patients with Botox for over 20 years
- Restorative work where lost or worn tooth structure is what collapsed the bite in the first place
Where do I start?
With diagnosis. We test the joint and the bite, identify what is driving your symptoms, and set out an immediate plan. If chronic headaches have sent you between doctors without resolution, the jaw is worth ruling out.
Related: TMJ Next Generation, Botox for TMJ, and why bite function matters for cosmetic work.