What is TMD?: 

It is a disorder of the masticatory (chewing) system.  Masticatory system consists of the a paired joint of jaw, located just in front of ears, muscle of jaws and teeth.  For this system to function properly all three components of this system must be in a harmony.  Disease or injury in any of these may affect other parts of the masticatory system and lead to a variety of non specific symptoms, such as head aches, ear ache, ringing in ears, dizziness, eye pain, tenderness in front of ears, clicking and popping of jaw joints.  For many years this collection of symptoms was classified as a TMD Syndrome. In the recent years it is better understood as a specific disorder with specific causes.  Successful treatment of this disorder is dependent on determining which component of the masticatory system is primarily affected and how it that interacts with the other components.  Due to lack of understanding of this disorder, many dentists and physicians have labeled patients with these symptoms as pychotic, neurotic or stressed.  Similarly treatment by many such practitioners is geared towards relief of symptoms and little to no attention is paid to the elimination of the cause of these symptoms.  Hence great majority of these patients are prescribed a night guard or bite guard.  This will be similar to telling all patients with stomach ache to take antacids.  In order to eliminate a disease the cause of the disease must be identified and treatment must be geared to elimination of such.