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com - 847-827-6290
Introduction"
"
"
Are you in constant pain? Do you have migraines, sleep problems, or trouble opening
and closing your mouth fully? You could have a TMJ disorder. Sounds scary, doesn’t it!
Let’s get rid of the jargon to demystify TMJ and also figure out if you do have this
disorder. "

"
So what exactly is a TMJ Disorder? TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint. That’s the
joint where your lower jaw is attached to your skull. You have TMJs on either side of
your face. Any problems that are associated with these two joints come under the

"
heading of TMJ disorders."

"

MEYER DENTAL GROUP - www.meyerdentalgroup.com - 847-827-6290

Do you have TMJ? Test yourself…"
"
Are you in constant pain? Do you have migraines, sleep problems, or trouble opening"
and closing your mouth fully? If you do, you could have a TMJ
disorder. "
" "
TMJ can be a complex thing to understand and diagnose, so Did you know?!
we’ve put together this e-book to help demystify TMJ and help "
you learn more about the disorder." TMJ Disorders are
" far more common
among women,
So what exactly is a TMJ Disorder?! especially among
TMJ stands for your Temporomandibular Joint. That’s the joint those of the child
where your lower jaw is attached to your skull. You have TMJs bearing age!
on either side of your face. Problems that are associated with
these two joints come under the heading of TMJ disorders."
"
TMJ disorders can result in a painful jaw, but it can also cause a whole host of other
symptoms such as:"
"
• Headaches!
• Pain in any facial area!
• Pain in the ear, ringing in the ears, or ear congestion!
• Tooth ache and popping of the jaw when closing/opening the mouth!
• Shoulder, back and neck pain, as well as stiffness!
• Numbness in arms, fingers, and hands!
• Postural problems!
• Sleep problems!
"
To add an additional twist to the complex nature of a TMJ Disorder, obvious symptoms
like the ones noted above are sometimes not present, but the damage to your jaw
joints, teeth and spine are still taking place."
"
Find out if you have TMJ. Fill out our questionnaire!
The good news is that dental TMJ treatment options could help you resolve your jaw
joint problem. But before you jump to the treatment stage, it’s important to determine if a
TMJ disorder is indeed present, since its symptoms can arise from a score of other
problems as well."

MEYER DENTAL GROUP - www.meyerdentalgroup.com - 847-827-6290

To find out if your TMJ is the culprit, there are some simple tests you can undertake."
"
!
Stand Tall for the Posture Tests!

"There are two posture tests that can help to

determine if you have a TMJ Disorder."
"
1. Shoulder check!
For the first one, you need to stand in front of
a mirror with your feet placed shoulder width
apart. Now close your eyes, turn left and right
as fast as you can, look up and down as fast
as you can. Now open your eyes and look in
the mirror, focusing on your shoulders."
"
Are your shoulders on the same level, or is
one dropping lower than the other?"
"
If your shoulders are not on the same level,
your neck will be off level too, to make up for
the slight difference. In turn, your head tilts so
that your eyes and ears are at level. This can place an immense strain on all the
muscles involved, since they have to keep working to maintain the unnatural position of
these body parts consistently."
"
"
Head check!
The second posture helps you test if you are holding your "
head in its correct natural position, right over the shoulders. Did you know?!
For this test, stand sideways before a mirror or ask a friend to "
take a photograph of you in this position." Almost three-
quarters of the
" Earth’s total
If your head is dropping forward excessively or your body is population have
straining, with the back pushed in and shoulders out, to keep TMJ problems at
some point during
your head from falling forward in this way, there is something
the life time.
wrong with your posture. Muscle changes could take place
over time as a result of this faulty posture. "  

MEYER DENTAL GROUP - www.meyerdentalgroup.com - 847-827-6290

The Mobility Test: How flexible are your neck muscles?"
"
For this test:"
Stand in front of the mirror and try to touch your right
shoulder with your right ear."
Now do the same on the other side."
Next, point your chin to the left and right while turning
your head in the same direction."
Then look up at the ceiling and down at your toes."
"
If you experience stiffness or pain when carrying out
these actions you may have a TMJ Disorder, in
particular, a bite related issue."
"
An unbalanced bite puts muscles in the neck and jaw region under stress, leading to the
inability to do these actions without experiencing difficulty."
"
This muscular tension may also prevent you from opening your mouth as widely as it
should be possible. Check if you can comfortably fit 3 fingers into your mouth when it is
open to the maximum. If not, your muscular mobility is impaired."

The Jaw Position Test: Is your jaw too short?!

"
A short upper or lower jaw may be an indicator of a TMJ Disorders, although you may"
never experience any discomfort. Adults, whose nostrils are visible when face to"
face, may have an under-developed upper jaw or a short upper jaw. This poorly
developed jaw has prevented the nose from growing correctly and in the right position."

"
Unfortunately, it also prevents you from having a balanced bite. A short lower jaw is a
TMJ problem that can cause sleep apnea. Ideally, your lips and jaws should be
positioned at a distance of 5 degrees or less from the vertical line that can be drawn
down from the tip of your nose."

If this distance is more, the head posture can be affected and the muscles in this section
of your face and neck could be strained."
Overbite Test: Too much is never a good thing!!
""
When your upper jaw is significantly further out
"than your lower jaw, you have an overbite. An
overbite of 10% of the upper teeth is the sign of
a normal, healthy mouth. Any more than this,
and you have an unhealthy overbite."
"
Beyond the muscular tension this causes, the
jaw joint is forced to remain compressed in an
unnatural position, which may lead to faster joint erosion in this area."

"
Teeth Condition Test: Are your teeth intact?!
"
When there is interference in the bite, your jaw muscles reflexively work to rectify it. But"
when you have a TMJ problem, your teeth do not mesh together when the jaw is
positioned in the right way. To get your teeth to mesh together in the comfortable
position, your jaw muscles and joints are forced to remain in a strained position."
To relieve this strain, you automatically grind your teeth to find another position which is
easy on the muscles and joint. But this puts your teeth out of sync and you start all over
again, without even realizing the immense grinding and clenching and the potential
impact is can have by chipping and wearing down your teeth."

"
If you spot worn down, chipped, or shortened teeth you may have a TMJ Disorder."

The Flexibility Test: Can you touch your toes?!

"
You probably never thought that rectifying your TMJ problems could enable you to bend"
enough to touch your toes. A clenched bite makes your jaw muscles work but also puts
your head, neck, and back muscles to work in getting the teeth aligned."

"
To check if this is happening, put a pen in between your teeth, bite down and try to bend"
over to touch your toes. If biting the pen allows you to bend a bit more than you"
normally can, your flexibility may be impaired by a TMJ problem.!

"
MEYER DENTAL GROUP - www.meyerdentalgroup.com - 847-827-6290
The Muscle Tenderness and Pain Test:
Does pressure on trigger points cause pain? The Masseter
muscles on the cheek and the Temporalis muscle on the temple
may have trigger points that cause pain when pressure is
applied here."

"
In a healthy person, when pressure is applied to these trigger
points it should cause mild discomfort at worst, and a sensation
of pressure at best. If you experience pain as a result of
applying pressure on these points, it could be an indication of a
TMJ disorder."

Keep in mind that pain may flare at a location that is not exactly the same spot where you
are applying the pressure. For example, when you press down on the Masseter muscle
along the jaw line, you may experience pain in the upper jaw, lower jaw, or teeth."

"
Front Teeth Test: Do your teeth measure up?!
"
Your upper front teeth should be
at least 9 mm and the lower
about 7 mm to 9 mm long.
Measure the teeth from the
edge to the part where the white
enamel meets the yellowish root"
surface to get the accurate
length."
"
If your teeth are shorter than
they should be, it could mean
that severe wear and tear has
shortened them excessively. This could lead to TMJ Disorders. Keep in mind that!severe loss
"
of the tooth structure can compromise the quality and effectiveness of any!restorative
treatment that is carried out.!

"
The earlier you have the problem rectified the better are your chances are of getting rid of the
problem permanently."

MEYER DENTAL GROUP - www.meyerdentalgroup.com - 847-827-6290

The Healthy Bite Test: The golden rule!
!
There is a connection between the distances of the gum "
tissue from the upper teeth to lower teeth, which is called the Did you know?!
‘Golden Proportion’. In a healthy person, this distance should" "
be about 17 to 21 mm." Heredity plays a
role in determing
" the shape of your
For those who have a severe overbite, this number is bound teeth and jaw bone.
to change indicating an over-closed bite that can cause stress

"
to the surrounding muscles as well as the TMJ."

"
Crossbites Test:
Are your lower teeth further out than the upper ones?!

"In a normal mouth, the upper set of teeth is

outside the lower jaw. When there is a huge"
overlap we call it an overbite. When the lower
jaw is further out than the upper, it’s an
underbite."
"
But when its just one or more teeth lower of the
lower jaw that juts out further than the upper jaw set, we call it a crossbite. In a
crossbite, the position of a few teeth is reversed while the others may be correctly
positioned."
"
Crossbite may be hereditary but it can also arise from improper development of the
teeth or the"
jaw bones. Childhood habits that have resulted in palate deformities may also cause
crossbites."
"
An uncorrected crossbite can hamper the development of the jaw bone resulting in an"
imbalanced growth of the jaws. Other than causing problems with chewing and
swallowing, a crossbite can also impair the airways."
"

MEYER DENTAL GROUP - www.meyerdentalgroup.com - 847-827-6290

A crossbite is not a self-correcting problem, it requires treatment to resolve it. The
sooner you get the crossbite looked at, the better your chances of getting the problem
corrected."
"
"
Keyway Wear Patterns Test: Putting your teeth on edge!
"
Put your upper teeth edge to edge with your lower set at the point where you find them"
comfortable, snug fit. This is the position into which you have worn the front teeth, to the"
shape and size that fits perfectly with the lower set by a continuous process of grinding"
them down."

"
If in this position the bite on the back teeth is strained, your jaw muscles and joints are
working extra hard to hold the position and it will be difficult to maintain for very long.
The position may be easier on the jaw muscles and joint when your back teeth are
sliding along the upper teeth, but, again, this position might not be comfortable enough
to hold for long."

"
If this is the case, you may tend to move
back and forth in a bid to find a position that
is easier on your muscles and joints, as well
as one that feels comfortable. This grinding
movement can cause even more damage
the upper teeth due to the improper
alignment.!

Take action! "

"
If you have carried out these tests at home and you suspect a TMJ problem, we
recommend you do something about it."
"
The first step in resolving a TMJ problem is an accurate diagnosis. A dentist can help
you evaluate the condition of your jaw and help you find the correct TMJ treatment
options to bring your jaw to physiological health."
"
Painful TMJ symptoms don’t have to rule your life. There are steps you can take to find
the right treatment options.

MEYER DENTAL GROUP - www.meyerdentalgroup.com - 847-827-6290