What is the difference between TMJ and TMJD? - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor A lot of times, patients with jaw pain ask me, “Doctor Jason, What is the difference between TMJ and TMJD?” Well, it can be confusing for people to understand some medical terms. But I will tell you about the difference between TMJ and TMJD in this piece, perhaps you also want to know. Firstly, note that TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, while TMJD stands for temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Literally, TMJ refers to the joint itself and TMD refers to pain, inflammation or disorders of that joint. Sometimes, people use TMJ and TMD interchangeably, but there is a clear-cut difference between the two. Let’s take a deeper dive to understand these two terms better. What is TMJ – The Temporomandibular Joint? The TMJ is a delicate joint that connect your jaw to your cheekbones. This joint is located just next to each of your ears and it allows you open your mouth, speak, chew, and even yawn. The TMJs are special because they have a unique hinging and sliding mobility allowing your jaws to move to the right and left, move forward and backward, and open. TMJs are two – one on each side of your head. You can check out their functions by placing a finger in front of each ear, and then open and close your jaw. If the joints are in good shape, you will notice the muscles moving over the lower jaw up and down and side to side. A small cartilage disc encased by a dense fibrous capsule is also located in the joint in front of your ear. This prevents your jawbone from grinding against your skull bones. The proper function of the TMJs depends on each other and on the teeth, since these joints are connected to the jaw.  However, due to the delicate nature of this joint, it is prone to becoming inflamed, irritated, or damaged. Usually when this happens, you may have issues with opening your mouth, speaking, or chewing. This is often accompanied with pain and discomfort. What is TMJD – Temporomandibular Joint Disorder? TMJD refers to the various disorders that affect the TMJ. Several factors could cause damage to the TMJ, including: Excessive gum chewing Nightly teeth grinding Injury Inflammation Infection Deterioration due to autoimmune diseases like arthritis Some common symptoms of TMJD include pain in the jaw and face, tenderness of the jaw muscles, locking or clicking of the jaw when moving it, difficulty chewing, and muscle spasms. Sometimes, you may experience earaches, headaches, dizziness, and even back and neck pain. However, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, TMD disorders are classified into three categories, namely: Internal derangement of the joint involving dislocated jaw, displaced disc, or injury to the condyle/joint Pain in the muscles that control jaw function Arthritis-related issue that are inflammatory/degenerative joint disorders                                                                                                                                         So there you have it, the clear-cut difference between TMJ and TMJD. Do not confuse both terms anymore. You can visit Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, to learn about natural solutions for TMJD and how alignment and soft tissue work helps to resolve the problem.