TMJ is an abbreviation standing for: “Temporo Mandibular Joint” or, more popular, the jaw joint. Temporo stands for temporal lobe which is a part of the brain located beneath the ear, on both sides of the head. Mandibular stand for the mandible. The mandible is the lower jaw bone (the mobile one). There are two TMJs, each positioned in front of the left and right ears. These joints connect the mandible to the skull and, just like all the joints of the human body (knees, shoulders, and so on) allow the movement of the mobile bone (mandible). The TMJs allow the mandible to move up/down, left/right and forward/back. Imagine no joint and you’ll see no chewing, no swallowing, no speaking, no facial expressions.
TMJ is one of the most complex set of joints of the human body. Unlike other joints (vertebral junctions or typical finger), each TMJ has two joints, which allow it to both translate and rotate (sliding and rotating). It is common to notice wear of the bone, the cartilage or even both components with use of the TMJ. Clicking, popping motions and other movement deviations of the joint are normal to apear. When any of these becomes painfull it is considered a TMJ disorder.
In a healthy joint, the surfaces in contact with one another (bone and cartilage) do not have any receptors to transmit the feeling of pain. The pain therefore originates from one of the surrounding soft tissues. When receptors from one of these areas are triggered, the pain causes a reflex to limit the mandible’s movement. Furthermore, inflammation of the joints can cause constant pain, even without movement of the jaw.
These days, however, TMJ stands more and more often for TMJ Disorder – TMJ Syndrome – TMJ Dysfunction. All over the internet people speaking about TMJ reffer to the disorder and not to the joint itself.
See more about TMJ:
