The Anatomy & Physiology of TMD

The Anatomy & Physiology of TMD

There are a large variety of symptoms (see Signs & Symptoms of TMD) that are associated with temporomandibular disorders. Since it was originally thought that these symptoms had their origin in the Temporomandibular Joint the all-inclusive term “TMJ” was used to describe the condition. Since “TMJ” simply refers to a part of your anatomy, today the term Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) is the more commonly used term.

The temporomandibular joints are unique set of joints within the human body. They are the only joints able to move in six directions; anterior-posterior (forward and backward), lateral (side-to-side), vertical (up and down), pitch, roll and yaw. One of their main roles is to accommodate or act as a shock absorber when the teeth bite together (Occlusion). When the occlusion is in a state of pathology it affects the central nervous system, joints and the muscles of mastication (chewing).When both of the joints and muscles have to adjust to a bite that is faulty, it initiates a spastic muscle cycle of fatigue and pain that ultimately affects the rest of the posture of the body as it accommodates to this unnatural position. The end result is a variety of symptoms that are often overlooked or positively correlated to the faulty bite. A traumatic accident, missing teeth, grinding, poor posture or previous dental work can not only affect the bite, muscles, joints, central nervous system, but can drastically affect the rest of the posture of the whole body.