When you hear the terms TMJ disorder (TMD) and bruxism and you see them listed together, you may find yourself having a hard time distinguishing between them. The quick explanation is that yes, they are two separate functional disorders. The longer answer, however, is just a little bit more complex. Why? Well, the symptoms are often similar and it’s common for bruxism to promote TMD and for TMD to lead to bruxism. For some easy-to-understand details, get started with a quick question-and-answer session.

Q&A: TMD and Bruxism

Question: What makes TMJ disorder and bruxism so similar?

Answer: They are both considered “functional disorders.” This means that they affect the way your oral cavity’s framework functions (or works). They both affect a similar area of your body, which makes them difficult to differentiate from one another.

Question: How can I define them easily, so I can tell these functional issues apart?

Answer: This is simpler than you might imagine. TMJ disorder is a problem that affects the function of your TMJs (your jaw joints). Bruxism is a disorder that causes you to clench your teeth together (or grind them) without doing it on purpose. Though symptoms caused by these problems often overlap, the main sources of discomfort are easy to individually identify.

Question: If both TMJ disorder and bruxism cause similar symptoms, like sore jaws and headaches, how will I be able to tell them apart and figure out what kind of treatment I need?

Answer: You won’t need to do this on your own. You will just need to schedule time to come in for a dental examination. We can talk with you, examine your oral tissues, and figure out whether you have one or the other (or both) before moving forward with treatment.