Hi Friends! I’m Priya Mistry the TMJ doc and today I’m going to talk to you about
TMD - Temporomandibular Disorder or Dysfunction. 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. Hit that Subscribe button as I post a new video every Friday for people who are
suffering from TMJD!
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a general dentist with a practice dedicated
to taking care of patients with TMJ disorders. I practice in beautiful Portland, Oregon with
my wonderful mentor, Dr. Arthur L Parker. Please be sure to follow me on Instagram as
I post about TMJD frequently! My Instagram handle is the underscore tmj underscore doc.
Also check out my Twitter account - tweet tweet. My twitter handle is at Priya TMJ.
I post lots of useful information about TMJ disorders, tips, trivia, etc.. for all of
you who like to nerd out on TMJ info like I do!
So let’s get right into it! Temporomandibular Disorder or Dysfunction - which I will refer
to as TMD for the remainder of this video - is all about the muscles that surround and
support the jaw. TMD generally does NOT refer specifically to the problems WITHIN the temporomandibular
joints - popping, clicking, crackling, or episodes of the jaw locking or catching. These
problems within the joints are usually easier to recognize,
diagnose, and perhaps most importantly - SEE on a CBCT scan or MRI.
TMD, again, is all about the neuromuscular system that surrounds and supports the jaw.
The muscles of this system can become dysfunctional with chronic clenching and bruxing, the way
the teeth fit together, prolonged dental appointments, whiplash incidents, postural discrepancies,
and more. When the muscles become dysfunctional, they enter a chronic pain/spasm cycle and
that’s when the symptoms begin - sometimes gradually and sometimes in full force. These
dysfunctional muscles can also become swollen and edematous, putting pressure on nearby
nerves such as the Trigeminal Nerve, which only exacerbates symptoms and can potentially
mimic Trigeminal Neuralgia.
The symptoms of TMD are incredibly vast and varied and that’s why it can be difficult
to diagnose. TMD is also called the “Great Imposter Disease” for this very reason!
The symptoms that are most common with TMD are number 1 - headaches, closely followed
by ear-related concerns - ear pain (dull or sharp, vertigo, stuffy ears, and even hearing
loss). Next is jaw pain, neck pain, and/or numbness or tingling in the face or even hands!
My patients present with many of these symptoms, one of these symptoms, a few of these symptoms…
you name it - I’ve seen it all. Another thing that makes TMD a beast of another nature
is that there is no scan or imaging system that can clearly identify or distinguish these
inflamed muscles and. On top of that, the majority of medical and dental schools do
NOT have standardized curriculum that teaches about identifying and treating TMD. Many schools
may teach a little about what’s happening inside the temporomandibular joint - popping,
clicking, crackling, jaw locking but TMD is largely not in the curriculum. Because the
symptoms are vast and varied, because scanning or imaging doesn’t clearly identify dysfunctional
muscles, because many practitioners have not been taught about TMD and have little to no
experience diagnosing or treating it, many patients have been on QUITE a journey for
their own answers. They’ve been to primary care doctors, dentists, ear nose and throat
doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, neurologists, and more! I wanted to create
this video to shed some light on what exactly TMD is and WHY it can be such a journey just
to get some answers. Many of my patients present with problems outside the jaw joints - headaches,
ear pain, neck and jaw pain - as well as problems inside the jaw joints - popping, crackling,
episodes of the jaw locking.
The way we treat TMD at my office is with orthotics, myofascial release, and osteopathic
manual cranial or jaw manipulation as needed. We don’t have a 100 percent success rate
but we DO have a high success rate and have brought many people relief from symptoms that
can be debilitating. If you were wondering what TMD is, then I truly hope this video
has been informative!
So that’s really it my friends. If you like what you heard or learned something new, click
“Like” below and Subscribe to my channel. As always, questions and comments are welcome.
And remember, you can never have TMI about TMJ!