The temporomandibular joint is formed by the convergence of the base of the skull (temporal bone) and the head of the lower jaw (condyle).  It is a joint that is responsible for making the complex maneuvers necessary for daily activities, i.e. eating, swallowing, speaking, etc.  As a result, it is continually being placed under stress of varying magnitudes.  

It is when the TMJ complex becomes overly stressed that we begin to see the signs and symptoms of a dysfunctional TMJ, or TMD (temporamandibular disorder).  These include:

• Facial pain
• Abnormal range of motion - reduced or excessive
• Limited mouth opening
• Joint sounds
• Joint locking or dislocation

Treatment is always initiated with conservative measures such as:  eliminating parafunctional habits (nail biting, chewing hard substances), diet modification (transition to more malleable foods), anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants and stress reduction.

When conservative measures fail to alleviate the symptoms of the dysfunctional TMJ, arthrocentesis or arthroscopy is performed.

If the joint demonstrates significant deterioration (progression of disease, pathology), an artificial prosthesis can replace the dysfunctional joint, known as total temporomandibular joint reconstruction.

The face and facial skeleton are well-designed to withstand the forces that it may encounter.  It is able to absorb traumatic forces by breaking apart, which allows the forces to dissipate, protecting the vital structures of the head and neck.  Unfortunately, this same mechanism of protection results in often unbelievable destruction of the facial complex.  

Common facial injuries include:

• Mandible Fractures
• Maxillary Fractures 
• Zygomaticomaxillary Complex Fractures
• Orbital Fractures
• Naso-orbito-ethmoidal Fractures
• Frontal Sinus Fractures

With modern techniques of fixation using titanium plates and screws, the face can be reassembled to its original form and function.