505.474.4644
Center For Dental Medicine
Evaluation and treatment of head, face, and jaw pain
TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint. It is not a disease. It is a part of the body, where the lower jaw joins the skull. The TMJ allows us to eat, speak, swallow, and grind and clench our teeth. The first three functions are normal, but grinding and clenching are abnormal motions and often create excessive force inside the TMJs.
Side view of a normal temporomandibular joint
The temporomandibular joint is unusual because it is on both the right and left sides of the body. This is known as bilateral. Any problem affecting the TMJ on one side will also affect the TMJ on the other side because the lower jaw, known as the mandible, moves inside both joints at the same time.
The lower jaw bone, or mandible, is bilateral.
Call us
If you are here to learn if your pain might be TMD, we are happy to answer by phone any questions you may have. Call us at 505-466-4728.
If you would like to make an appointment, we feel it is best to do so by phone. Computerized appointment systems try to make you fit the system. We try our best to fit your needs.