What is TMJ Pain? What Causes It?

We often hear about TMJ disorders but it many of us still find ourselves asking “What is TMJ pain?” TMJ pain refers to different kinds of aches and pains caused by disorders in the temporomandibular joints or jaw joints.

In most cases, the pain felt is often a result of the displacement of the cartilage disc of the TMJ or jaw joint. This can cause pressure and stretching to the associated sensory nerves, which results to the pain you feel.

If you suffer from TMJ pain, you would sometimes feel popping or clicking sounds as you move your mouth or jaw. These popping or clicking sounds are produced by the cartilage disk snapping into place as you move your jaw.

TMJ pain can also be a result of other factors that include minor and major trauma to the jaw, teeth grinding, stress and other psychological factors, arthritis, and poor alignment of the jaws.