Print Overview Temporomandibular joint Enlarge image Close Temporomandibular joint Temporomandibular joint TMJ disorders affect the temporomandibular joint, located on each side of your head in front of your ears. A soft cartilage disk acts as a cushion between the bones of the joint, so the joint can move smoothly. The temporomandibular (tem-puh-roe-man-DIB-u-lur) joint (TMJ) acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your jaw. TMJ disorders — a type of temporomandibular disorder or TMD — can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement. The exact cause of a person's TMJ disorder is often difficult to determine. Your pain may be due to a combination of factors, such as genetics, arthritis or jaw injury. Some people who have jaw pain also tend to clench or grind their teeth (bruxism), although many people habitually clench or grind their teeth and never develop TMJ disorders. In most cases, the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ disorders is temporary and can be relieved with self-managed care or nonsurgical treatments. Surgery is typically a last resort after conservative measures have failed, but some people with TMJ disorders may benefit from surgical treatments.Products & ServicesA Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health BookNewsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital EditionShow more products from Mayo Clinic SymptomsSigns and symptoms of TMJ disorders may include: Pain or tenderness of your jaw Pain in one or both of the temporomandibular joints Aching pain in and around your ear Difficulty chewing or pain while chewing Aching facial pain Locking of the joint, making it difficult to open or close your mouth TMJ disorders can also cause a clicking sound or grating sensation when you open your mouth or chew. But if there's no pain or limitation of movement associated with your jaw clicking, you probably don't need treatment for a TMJ disorder. When to see a doctorSeek medical attention if you have persistent pain or tenderness in your jaw, or if you can't open or close your jaw completely. Your doctor, your dentist or a TMJ specialist can discuss possible causes and treatments for your problem. Request an appointment There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. From Mayo Clinic to your inbox Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview. Email Address 1 ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Subscribe! Thank you for subscribing! You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry CausesThe temporomandibular joint combines a hinge action with sliding motions. The parts of the bones that interact in the joint are covered with cartilage and are separated by a small shock-absorbing disk, which normally keeps the movement smooth. Painful TMJ disorders can occur if: The disk erodes or moves out of its proper alignment The joint's cartilage is damaged by arthritis The joint is damaged by a blow or other impact In many cases, however, the cause of TMJ disorders isn't clear. Risk factorsFactors that may increase the risk of developing TMJ disorders include: Various types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis Jaw injury Long-term (chronic) grinding or clenching of teeth Certain connective tissue diseases that cause problems that may affect the temporomandibular joint By Mayo Clinic Staff TMJ disorders care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment Dec. 28, 2018 Print Show references TMJ disorders. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/topics/tmj/tmjdisorders.htm. Accessed May 10, 2016. Firestein GS, et al., eds. Temporomandibular joint pain. In: Kelley and Firestein's Textbook of Rheumatology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2017. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 30, 2018. Scrivani SJ, et al. Temporomandibular disorders in adults. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 30, 2018. Flint PW, et al. Temporomandibular joint disorders. In: Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2015. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed May 10, 2016. AskMayoExpert. Temporomandibular disorder. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2018. Ferri FF. Temporomandibular joint syndrome. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2019. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 30, 2018. Ritenbaugh C, et al. Comparative effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine and psychosocial care in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders-associated chronic facial pain. Journal of Pain. 2012;13:1075. Relaxation techniques for health. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stress/relaxation.htm. Accessed Oct. 30, 2018. Cole HA, et al. Mind-body considerations in orofacial pain. Dental Clinics of North America. 2018;62:683. Brown A. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 9, 2018. Salinas TJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 2, 2018. Related Arthrocentesis Temporomandibular joint Associated Procedures Cognitive behavioral therapy CT scan MRI X-ray Show more associated procedures Products & Services A Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition Show more products and services from Mayo Clinic TMJ disordersSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCare atMayoClinic Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. 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There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. From Mayo Clinic to your inbox Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview. Email Address 1 ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Subscribe! Thank you for subscribing! You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry