"The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the swivel-hinge connector between the lower jaw (mandible) and the skull. Although it is technically an anatomic description, "TMJ" is also very commonly used to describe the popping, clicking, and pain in the general area.
The lower jaw has two TMJs, one on each side, and because what affects one side also affects the other, they have to operate in perfect harmony. It is, interestingly, the only joint in the body that crosses the midline and is undoubtedly the most complex joint in the body.
The lower jawbone ends within the TMJ with a (normally) blunt, rounded projection called the condyle. Like the knee, it pivots and glides on a thin disk of cartilage called the meniscus, and, also like the knee, if the condyle pops on and off the meniscus, there is a popping and a click and perhaps great pain.
By using non-invasive technologies like sound readings and the tracking of jaw movements, we are able to isolate problems and provide TMJ treatment in Portland by very selectively correcting minute interferences in your chewing motions. Because you cannot treat TMJ problems without very precisely correcting the bite, and you cannot precisely correct the bite without utilizing the use of a computerized bite from the TekScan technologies."
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