Temporomandibular disorder (TMD)

Temporomandibular disorder is a group of conditions causing pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control chewing.

The temporomandibular joints connect the lower jaw to the skull just in front of the ears. Disorders here produce jaw pain or tenderness, aching around the ear, clicking or popping when opening the mouth, difficulty chewing, and sometimes locking of the joint. Contributing factors include teeth clenching and grinding, jaw injury, arthritis, stress and structural variation in the joint. It is most common in adults between twenty and forty and affects women more often.

Dentists and oral medicine specialists diagnose it by examining jaw movement, listening for joint sounds, palpating the muscles and, when needed, using imaging such as MRI or CT. Most cases improve with conservative care. Cannabinoids have been examined in small preliminary studies of jaw and facial pain, and the evidence is limited.