TMD
Serving Bethesda, Clarksville
and the Greater Maryland area
Temporomandibular joint disorder, often referred to as either TMD or TMJ, is a condition in which the joint muscles and teeth are not in the optimal relationship.
The temporomandibular joint provides for the full range of motion of the jaw, including up and down movement, side to side, and back and forth. This range of movement is necessary for speaking, chewing, biting, facial expression, and all other mouth movement.
Because this joint is responsible for such a variety of functions, any misalignment or other damage can seriously upset not only these functions, but the other, interconnected functions as well.
TMJ / TMD prevention and diagnosis
Left untreated, TMJ / TMD can progress quite rapidly, and may begin to have more serious effects as time goes on. In fact, many of the symptoms and effects of TMD can, in turn, serve to make the condition worse, as the body tries, unsuccessfully, to correct the misalignment.
As such, we believe that the keys to maintaining your TMJ health start with prevention and maintenance. We are meticulous about maintaining the correct alignment and function of the TMD, and about diagnosing and treating the condition as early as possible, so as to avoid causing further damage.
Causes of TMD / TMJ
TMJ can be caused by a variety of things, including the following:
- Natural tooth wear
- Poorly done dental work
- Injury or trauma
- Tooth grinding
- Osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease
Learn more
To learn more about TMD and the proper function of your TMJ, call or email us today to schedule your personal consultation with one of our experienced dentists.
Also see our other pages about TMJ and TMD:
