Award-winning oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. George Hatzigiannis previously practiced at Small Smiles Dental Centers and at a Massachusetts private practice. A graduate of Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Dr. George Hatzigiannis completed a six-year OMFS residency at UConn Health Center and is an expert in conditions such as temporomandibular disorder (TMD).
TMD refers to a dysfunction with the temporomandibular joint and the muscles that surround it. This can be caused by a variety of issues ranging from jaw injuries to arthritis to teeth clenching to autoimmune diseases. Symptoms of these include pain around the ear or pain in the jaw or neck. Other symptoms of TMD include popping in the jaw joint when the mouth is opened or closed, chronic headaches, and discomfort while chewing and swelling.
Despite TMD’s commonality, many confuse this condition with TMJ. This is technically incorrect. TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint that allows people to talk, chew, and move their mouths, instead of a type of condition. The symptoms that most people attribute to TMJ are actually symptoms of TMD, and thus, it is more accurate to refer to such problems either as TMD or as TMJ disorders.
TMD refers to a dysfunction with the temporomandibular joint and the muscles that surround it. This can be caused by a variety of issues ranging from jaw injuries to arthritis to teeth clenching to autoimmune diseases. Symptoms of these include pain around the ear or pain in the jaw or neck. Other symptoms of TMD include popping in the jaw joint when the mouth is opened or closed, chronic headaches, and discomfort while chewing and swelling.
Despite TMD’s commonality, many confuse this condition with TMJ. This is technically incorrect. TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint that allows people to talk, chew, and move their mouths, instead of a type of condition. The symptoms that most people attribute to TMJ are actually symptoms of TMD, and thus, it is more accurate to refer to such problems either as TMD or as TMJ disorders.
