“I have TMJ”: why TMJ is not a diagnosis

“I have TMJ” is one of the phrases we hear most often from patients with jaw pain. But TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint: each of us has two, one in front of each ear. As a diagnosis, “TMJ” says where the problem is, not what it is.

What can hide behind “TMJ”

Different problems, with different treatments, share the same name:

• pain in the chewing muscles, the most common, often linked to clenching, stress and sleep
• joint pain, worse when chewing or opening the mouth
• displacement of the joint disc, with clicking or sometimes locking
• degenerative or inflammatory changes of the joint

What’s more, some pain felt “in the TMJ” doesn’t come from there at all: neuralgia, migraine, an ear or tooth problem can be felt in the same area.

Why the exact diagnosis matters

Because the treatment differs. Muscle pain responds to resting the muscles, exercises and sometimes a splint; a recent lock needs a different approach; neuralgia is solved neither by a splint nor by dental work. And, very importantly, TMJ pain is not treated by grinding the teeth or by irreversible dental work.

The good news

Most patients with temporomandibular disorders improve with simple, conservative treatment. The first step is an orofacial pain consultation that tells you exactly what is going on. More about the conditions under Temporomandibular disorders.