Tinnitus, or a ringing in the ears, is often dismissed as being all in our heads. Maybe it is: not in our minds, but in the muscles and bones of our jaws. While some people imagine that they hear a ringing, whine, or whistle, others may be experiencing a potentially debilitating condition called TMJ or temporomandibular joint syndrome.

TMJS? TMD? MPD?

Temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJS), temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), and mysofacial pain dysfunction (MPD) are three different names for the same set of symptoms. These symptoms of TMJ/TMD include headaches, jaw pain, facial pain, even sore, chipped, broken or worn teeth in addition to tinnitus. If you have some combination of these symptoms you may be suffering from TMJ/TMD.

The temporomandibular joints are the joints where our jaw connects to our skull and are located in front of our ears. When you consider all the functions that come together in our skull and jaw—talking, eating and drinking, breathing, smiling and other expressions of emotion, not to mention the intersection between the skull and the spine—it’s easy to see how incredibly complex these joints must be. Bones, muscles, and nerves have to all function together to accomplish these tasks, while staying clear of airways and nerves dedicated to other functions such as hearing.

TMD occurs when the TMJ is out of alignment or otherwise stressed. Typically, this results from the simple condition of “malocclusion” or bad bite such as overbite or underbite. Although the condition is simple to describe, its effects can be far-reaching, from intense, migraine-like headaches to pain in the face, neck, and shoulders, to numbness or tingling in the arms as well as tinnitus.

There Is a Cure

As simple as the condition is, the cure is a delicate matter practiced by highly trained specialists in the field of neuromuscular dentistry. Neuromuscular dentists are experts in the complex mass of muscles, bones, and soft tissue that must interact perfectly to ensure proper function of the TMJ, and have worked out a detailed process for curing the improper function.

1. Most important right away is to relieve your symptoms. The easiest way for neuromuscular dentists to provide release is by using an electric massage made up of rhythmic pulses that relax the muscles and stimulate the flow of blood and endorphins to the region.

2. Once you have immediate relief, the dentist will seek to stabilize your bite to prevent the symptoms from reoccurring. Most often, this is by the use of a temporary device, known as an orthotic, that is worn over the teeth.

3. Then the dentist will seek to give you permanent relief by correcting your bite long-term. This might involve braces, reconstructive crowns, and possibly the reshaping of your teeth.