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, also called TMJ, acts like a sliding hinge. It connects the jawbone to the skull. There is one joint on each side of the jaw. TMJ disorders — a type of temporomandibular disorder or TMD — can cause pain in the jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement. The exact cause of TMJ disorder is often hard to determine. The pain may be due to a mix of factors, including habits such as teeth clenching, gum chewing and nail biting; stress; and painful conditions that occur along with TMJ disorder such as fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis or jaw injury. The habit of teeth clenching or grinding also is known as bruxism. Most of the time, the pain and discomfort related to TMJ disorders lasts for only a limited time. Self-managed home care, physical therapy for the jaw and the use of a mouth guard can be effective in treating symptoms of TMJ disorder. Surgery is usually a last resort after conservative measures have failed. But surgical treatments may help some people with TMJ disorders.Products & ServicesA Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health BookNewsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital EditionShow more products from Mayo Clinic SymptomsSymptoms of TMJ disorders may include: Pain or tenderness in the jaw. Pain in one or both temporomandibular joints. Aching pain in and around the ear. Having a hard time chewing or pain while chewing. Aching facial pain. Locking of the joint, making it hard to open or close your mouth. Headache. Neck pain. Eye pain. Tooth pain that occurs along with jaw tenderness. TMJ disorders also can cause a clicking sound or grating sensation when you open your mouth or chew. But if there's no pain or limitation of movement related to your jaw clicking, it's likely that you won't need treatment. When to see a doctorSeek medical attention if you have constant pain or tenderness in your jaw that occurs suddenly or during jaw movements or if you can't open or close your jaw completely. Your dentist, TMJ specialist or other healthcare professional can discuss possible causes and treatments. 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 work together in the joint are covered with cartilage and separated by a small shock-absorbing disk. This disk usually keeps the movement smooth. Painful TMJ disorders can happen if: The disk erodes or moves out of its proper relationship between the ball and socket of the joint. Sprain or strain occurs in the ligaments or soft tissues associated with TMJ disorders. Arthritis damages the joint's cartilage. A blow or another impact damages the joint. Jaw muscles are associated with TMJ spasms. Many times, the cause of TMJ disorder has a variety of causes and is hard to identify. Risk factorsFactors that may raise the risk of getting TMJ disorders include: Different types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Jaw injury. Habits such as gum chewing, nail biting, and grinding or clenching of teeth. Certain connective tissue diseases. Stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression. Conditions such as fibromyalgia, ankylosing spondylitis and sleep disturbances. Smoking. By Mayo Clinic Staff TMJ disorders care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment Dec. 24, 2024 Print Show references TMJ disorders. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/tmd. Accessed Oct. 18, 2024. Overview of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional. Accessed Oct. 18, 2024. Mehta NR, et al. Temporomandibular disorders in adults. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 18, 2024. Hupp JR, et al., eds. Management of temporomandibular disorders. In: Contemporary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 18, 2024. Temporomandibular disorders. American Family Physician. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2023/0100/patient-information-temporomandibular-disorders.html. Accessed Oct. 18, 2024. Ferri FF. Temporomandibular joint syndrome. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2025. Elsevier; 2025. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 18, 2024. Giri S (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Nov. 14, 2024. Relaxation techniques: What you need to know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/relaxation-techniques-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed Oct. 18, 2024. Temporomandibular joints. American Dental Association. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2023/0100/patient-information-temporomandibular-disorders.html. Accessed Oct. 18, 2024. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. Wroclawski C, et al. Recent advances in temporomandibular joint surgery. Medicina. 2023; doi:10.3390/medicina59081409. Rongo R, et al. Diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD) for children and adolescents: An international Delphi study—Part 1-Development of Axis I. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation. 2021; doi:10.1111/joor.13175. 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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