Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or TMJ syndrome,
describes a variety of problems of the temporomandibular joint. The main factor in TMJ disorders is usually pain related to the jaw.
TMJ disorders involve the jaw, jaw joint and surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and movement of the jaw,
and they can result in acute or chronic facial pain.
Temporomandibular joint disorder is also known as TMJD, TMJ, TMD and myofacial pain dysfunction.
Until recently TMJ disorder was known as Costen’s syndrome.
James Costen was the first who described the symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction
and linked it to malocclusion (bad bite problem).
What is the Temporomandibular Joint?
The temporomandibular joint is the joint that connects the lower jaw to the temporal bone of the skull.
It is located directly in front of the ear on either side of the head where the upper jaw (maxilla) and lower jaw (mandible) meet.
TMJ is one of the most complex and frequently used joints in the human body.
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is consisted by the temporal bone (side and base of the skull),
the mandible (lower jaw) and the mastication muscles that connect them, allowing the jaw to move smoothly up and down and side to side,
and enabling us to talk and chew. The primary muscles involved are the following: temporalis, masseter, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid.
The round upper end of the lower jaw, that is the movable portion of the temporomandibular joint, is called the condyle.
The socket where it fits into the temporal bone is called the articular fossa.
Between the condyle and the fossa there is a disk made of cartilage that acts as a cushion to absorb stress
and allows smooth movement of the joint when the mouth opens and closes.
Most of the problems of the temporomandibular joint are related
with the dislocation or damage of this disk between the two jaws,
while less cases are related with the muscles providing movement to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
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