The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is where your jaw bone is connected to your skull. A joint in the human body is defined as the point at which two bones are fitted together. The TMJ moves in different directions such as up and down, side to side. The joint is essential in tasks such as eating, talking and yawning.
When a person starts to experience pain and/or stiffness in the temporomandibular joint it is known as a TMJ disorder. About one in ten people of the population have signs of a TMJ disorder. A TMJ disorder may be caused by a number of factors, including:
- Clenching your teeth (bruxism)
- Whiplash
- Trauma
- Arthritis
- Hypermobility of the joint (excessive movement)