Jaw and TMJ Injuries

The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ), a complex joint connecting the jawbone to the skull, plays a crucial role in our daily life, enabling us to chew, talk, and yawn. However, injuries to the TMJ and jaws can lead to a range of symptoms, including pain, clicking, popping, and jaw locking.

Causes of TMJ Injuries

TMJ injuries can be caused by a variety of factors:

• Trauma: This could be from a car accident, a fall, or a blow to the face.
• Overuse: This could be from grinding your teeth, clenching your jaw, or chewing gum excessively.
• Arthritis: This is a condition that causes inflammation of the joints.
• Infection: This could be from a bacterial or viral infection.
• Tumors: These are growths that can develop in the TMJ.

Symptoms of TMJ Injuries

The symptoms of TMJ injuries can vary depending on the severity of the injury. Some common symptoms include:

• Pain in the jaw, face, or ear
• Clicking, popping, or grinding noises in the jaw
• Lockjaw (difficulty opening or closing the mouth)
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

Diagnosis of TMJ Injuries

Most common causes of lower jaw fractures are assaults, road traffic accidents, sports injuries and use of excessive force during minor surgical procedures. These fractures are classified according to the region of the jaw that is fractured. Diagnosis of these fractures can be done clinically while confirmation needs x-rays .The zygoma followed by the mandible are the strongest bones in the face. Many soft tissue structures are attached to or pass through both these bones

Upper jaw fracture