Making the Diagnosis
If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should speak to your doctor
or, better yet, to your dentist. Dentists commonly diagnose and prescribe treatment
for temporomandibular joint problems. In order to make the diagnosis, he
or she will take your medical history and perform a physical examination of
your jaw and face. The dentist may push on the side of your face or place a
finger by your ear and gently press forward while you open and close your jaw.
Also, in order to detect pain or tenderness, your dentist may gently feel the
muscles you use to chew. He or she will also check to see whether your jaw slides
when you bite, and can tell if you're grinding your teeth by looking for excessive
wear on the biting surfaces of your teeth.
Special X-ray techniques may be used to help make the diagnosis. If your dentist
suspects that the disc lies in front of its normal position (a condition called
internal derangement), he or she may order an X-ray in which a dye is injected
into your joint (an arthrogram). Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) may be used in rare cases to find out why a person isn't
responding to treatment.
Laboratory tests for TMJ problems aren't often done, as they're rarely useful.
Dentists occasionally use electromyography, which analyzes muscle activity,
to monitor treatment and occasionally to make a diagnosis.