The onset of TMJ symptoms is typically the first step toward diagnosis. Pain is TMJ disorder’s most common symptom. People with TMJ may experience severe pain and discomfort in the face, jaw joint, neck and shoulders. During a dental consultation to evaluate TMJ, your dentist will evaluate pain with a "clench test." If any one tooth, all teeth, or the jaw are in pain when you bite down during a clench test, your pain is probably related to a bad bite.
TMJ sufferers often experience jaw clicking, popping or locking during movement. In some cases, chewing is difficult, or the bite may not align properly (malocclusion). You may also experience swelling on the side of the face, toothaches, headaches, neck aches, earaches and hearing problems.
A dentist suspecting TMJ disorder will first evaluate your bite (occlusion). To study your jaw-to-bite relationship as well as the position and condition of the temporomandibular joint, your dentist will make mold impressions of your bite and mount them on an instrument called an articulator, a device that mimics the jaw's movement and joint closure. During this study, your dentist will determine if a structural disorder exists within the joint itself or if deflective interferences in the bite such as uneven teeth are affecting the joint's ability to close properly, thus causing the TMJ.
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