From: Diagnosis and Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders and Craniofacial Pain

By: Stephen David Smith D.M.D.

Introduction
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction has been called “the great impostor” because its symptoms mimic and parallel so many other diseases. Patients with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) may complain about pain in and around the ear. They may also have a muscle-contraction headache pattern arising from the base of the skull, with pain radiating toward the top of the head and forward to the temple area. The affects of a malpositioned tempromandibular joint and mismatched, maloccluded jaw have been extensively detailed in the dental and medical literature. Stress-related jaw bruxism/clenching patterns and their effects in developing muscle-contraction pain cycles (myofacial pain dysfunction syndrome, MPD) have also been noted.

The prevalence of disorders of the temporomandibular joint apparatus is quite extensive. Statistical studies vary from a conservative 20% to a high 70% of the United States population having various degrees of this dysfunction. Keeping even the most conservative statistic in mind, a large portion of the population has some level of derangement of the temporomandibular joint and involvement of the associated musculature. The symptoms and severity may vary from patient to patient: they may initially have only slight painless clicking within the joint, or they may have a host of seemingly unrelated medical problems.

Symptoms
Symptoms associated with the temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome are: pain in the face, teeth, and neck,, generalized headache, migraine-eye problems, neck ache, and back ache, sinusitis, hearing loss, earache-clogging and ringingin the ears, clicking and popping of the temporomandibular joint, stiff and sore jaws, inability to open or trismus, dental distress, swallowing difficulty, burning tongue, vertigo and dizziness, visual and motor incoordinations, facial neuralgia, fatigue and low energy level and restricted head, neck and jaw range of motion.

With this number of potential associated symptoms, difficulty in diagnostic screening becomes apparent. In many cases, a multidisciplinary team approach is required, including through medical history, as well as an extensive dental history with temporomandibular orthopedic detailed examination.

What is TMJ Disorder?
What are some TMJ Disorder Symptoms?