TMD Is Not Easy To Diagnose
Because the exact causes and symptoms of TMD are not clear, diagnosing these disorders can be confusing. At present, there is no widely accepted, standard test to correctly identify TMD. In about 90 percent of cases, however, the patient's description of symptoms, combined with a simple physical examination of the face and jaw, provides information useful for diagnosing these disorders.
Physical Examination
The physical examination includes:
- feeling the jaw joints and chewing muscles for pain or tenderness
- listening for clicking, popping or grating sounds during jaw movement
- examining for limited motion or locking of the jaw while opening or closing the mouth
Checking the patient's dental and medical history is very important. In most cases, this evaluation provides enough information to locate the pain or jaw problem, to make a diagnosis, and to start treatment to relieve pain or jaw locking.
Diagnostic Tests
Regular dental X-rays and TMJ x-rays (transcranial radiographs) are not generally useful in diagnosing TMD. Other x-ray techniques are usually needed only when the practitioner strongly suspects a condition such as arthritis or when significant pain persists over time and symptoms do not improve with treatment. These include:
- arthrography (joint x-rays using dye)
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- tomography (a special type of x-ray)
Before undergoing any expensive diagnostic test, it is always wise to get another independent opinion.
