Hi Everyone, I’m Priya Mistry the TMJ doc and today I’m going to talk to you
about how to know if you have “TMJ”. Have you been to multiple practitioners with really no
answers as to why you're feeling pain or discomfort in your head,
neck or jaw? Have you had MRIs and CT scans that really provide no answers? Have you been put on
strong medications that seem to help a little but seem to not really get to the root of the issue?
If so, my friends, keep watching this video as I may have some answers for you!
That being said, if you’re looking for more information on TMJ Disorders for yourself
or for a loved one, then this is the YouTube channel for you. Be sure to hit that Subscribe
button and the little bell notification next to it to get notified when my next videos will be out.
I post a new video every Friday for people who are suffering from
TMJ Disorders or for people who are just looking for more information!
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a general dentist with a practice in Vancouver,
Washington where we are dedicated to taking care of patients with TMJ disorders.
Be sure to check out my TikTok and my other social media, which I have linked below!
So let’s get right into it! If you’ve seen any of my other videos, you’ll probably know that
I usually refer to TMJ problems or issues as TMJD - Temporomandibular Joint Disorder.
It’s become kind of common in the vernacular to say “I have TMJ” - but all that means
is “I have Temporomandibular Joint”. And really, I have TMJ, you have TMJ and we all
have TWO TMJs. So for the purposes of just speaking correctly, for the rest of
the video I'll be referring to a problem or an issue with the Temporomandibular Joints ( the
TMJs) [or its associated structures] as TMJD - Temporomandibular Joint Disorder.
There are MANY symptoms that come along with TMJ Disorders and they can present in a variety of
combinations, making this VERY difficult to diagnose often times. The most common
symptoms that I see and that I hear about at my practice include: jaw joint noises - clicking,
popping, crackling, or snapping, episodes of the jaw locking open or closed, headaches, neck pain,
jaw pain, ear pain, stuffy ears, vertigo, shoulder pain, and numbness or tingling in the face
or extremities. So as you can see - TMJD can really present in a LOT of different ways.
Additionally, there is no ONE scan or imaging system that can distinctly diagnose
TMJD. The scans or imaging that are often done if this is suspected are
MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging - and CBCT - Cone Beam Computed Tomography.
MRIs show the soft tissue structures and MRIs when it comes to TMJ issues can be incredibly
useful if we suspect that the little disc of cartilaginous tissue called the articular disc
inside of the jaw joint is out of alignment. If we think that's what's happening,
it can only be confirmed with an MRI. If this disc I'm talking about is slightly displaced,
it can click and pop and snick and make some noises. Those clicks and pops can be painful
or they can also be not painful. If that disc is completely displaced or completely dislocated,
it leads to the the jaw locking closed, which is not a fun condition to be in and is the most
difficult jaw condition, in my experience, to treat. For more information on jaw joint noises
and the condition of the jaw locking closed, please watch my videos “Jaw Joint Noises - Snap,
Crackle, Pop” and “Jaw Locked Closed” Parts 1 and 2 which I've linked above.
A CBCT scan of the head and neck shows images of the jaw joints, tongue posture, airway, sinuses,
and more. A CBCT can be useful in diagnosing and detecting osteoarthritic degeneration within jaw
joints and can also be used as a tool to kind of help diagnose some other underlying issues,
including potential Sleep Disordered Breathing which may be playing into the TMJ problems.
For more information on that, please watch "Tongue Tie, Airway, and TMJ Disorders".
That's a video I did a while ago and I've linked it above, but it can be very helpful
in drawing the connection between Sleep Disordered Breathing and TMJ Disorders.
Having said all of this, MRIs and CBCTs CANNOT diagnose
certain dysfunctional structures that are causing pain. These structures include muscles, tendons,
and ligaments [of the head, neck, and jaw] that can wreak havoc when they are in a dysfunctional
state. They can lead to headaches, neck pain, jaw pain, vertigo, stuffy ears, ear pain, eye pain,
and more. And the list really just goes on and on and on and what I'm trying to get is that there
is no distinct imaging system that can diagnose those dysfunctional structures. Because of this,
it can be incredibly difficult for healthcare providers to correctly identify, diagnose, and
treat TMJD effectively! At my office, to identify dysfunctional structures we do a very thorough
Muscle Palpation Exam. During this exam, I palpate, I feel these muscles,
tendons, ligaments with 3-5 pounds of pressure and I write down if the patient feels tenderness,
pain, or something in between. So I take very thorough notes during this exam as
well. Using this information, I can then provide a preliminary diagnosis and a treatment plan.
Imaging done as treatment progresses - a CBCT and/or an MRI are done at a little
bit of a later stage - but those really help and the information gleaned from them helps to
solidify the diagnosis and finalize the treatment plan.
So let’s get back to HOW to know if YOU have TMJD. If you have any of the symptoms or any
combination of the symptoms that I’ve mentioned in this video, if you’ve been on what seems like
an endless journey and seen multiple healthcare practitioners with no real answers and you're
still experiencing these symptoms, then chances are fairly high that you may have
TMJD. That being said, this is NOT a diagnostic video. I cannot diagnose you specifically with
a video on the internet. So please be sure to see a skilled TMJ Dentist or a skilled
TMJ Physical Therapist in your local area for more answers and proper treatment! It's
important to remember not to lose hope - there ARE people who know how to treat this condition.
I see new patients every week who have been to multiple healthcare providers before
they make it to my office. So know that you're not alone, and don't lose hope! by
So that’s really it my friends. If you like what you heard or learned something new,
click “Like” below, Subscribe to my channel, do all the things! Questions and comments are always
welcome. I’d love to hear from you. And remember, you can never have TMI about TMJ! Thank you!