The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint located just in front of the left/right ear. It is the ball-and-socket joint that conjoins the maxilla and the mandible. The TMJ’s primary role is to establish smooth jaw movements that include biting, swallowing chewing, talking and yawning. The complexity of the TMJ structure is overwhelmingly sophisticated and sensitive because it is comprised of muscles, tendons and bones that reinforce smooth and dynamic jaw movements.

There are six main components of the TMJ, namely:

• Mandibular condyles – is the round bump connects the maxilla and the mandible
• Articular surface – the cartilage of the temporal bone
• Capsule – once opened, the capsule exposes the disk of the joint.
• Articular disc – the thin plate that facilitates dynamic movements of the TMJ
• Ligaments – the fibrous tissue that connects the maxilla and the mandible.
• Lateral pterygoid – is  a muscle of mastication with two heads

Without the temporomandibular joints, one will be unable to perform mouth gestures without experiencing excruciating pain, so it is important that we do not abuse our TMJ’s, especially when we wolf down large amounts of food or when we chew hard food.

But in some cases, a TMJ Disorder, or a TMD can be caused by a traumatic injury from an accident, or by arthritis and muscle fatigue gained from overuse of the jaw, say in clenching/grinding the teeth. Depending on the severity of the TMJ disorder, the one suffering from the TMD will know if the pain can be alleviated through self care or if surgical intervention should be required.

There are several factors that may cause a TMD, more specifically when one of these areas of the mouth suffer an injury or exhibit arthritis:

• The TMJ itself
• Neighboring bone/muscle structures near the TMJ
• Gums
• Teeth

Whereas most of the time the cause of the TMJ can be explained, there are still some cases that TMJ appears randomly because of an unexplained muscular or skeletal phenomena that disrupts the blood circulation in the TMJ. In some cases, people often wake up having a TMD, because of an improper resting position of the jaw.

Below are just a few common and unsafe habits that can lead to TMD:

• Teeth grinding and teeth clenching
• Awkward jaw positions
• Potassium deficiency
• Habitual gum chewing
• Fingernail biting
• Unattended malocclusion of teeth
• Unattended fractured jaw
• Stress

There are two ways to treat TMJ Disorders: Surgical and non-surgical.

Below is a list of recommended procedures/remedies for people whose TMJ disorder is not severe enough to require surgical intervention:

• Temporarily refraining from activities that can worsen the TMD, like wide-mouth yawning, and refraining from eating hard-to-chew foods.
• Rehabilitory exercises, stress management and therapy sessions to hasten the recovery process.
• Ultrasound to promote better blood circulation which, in turn, wards off accumulated lactic acid in the TMJ.
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation that reboots weakened nerve fibers.
• Anesthetic or pill-form muscle relaxants to block painful impulses as the joint/s slowly recover.

And lastly, the following are surgical procedures done on patients with severe or seemingly irreversible cases of TMD or when non-surgical TMJ treatments fail to exhibit any improvements:

• Arthocentesis – the removal of synovial fluid from the temporomandibular joint
• Arthotomy – open joint surgery that aims to anatomically study and subsequently repair the damaged disk of the TMJ.
• Arthroplasty – the surgical remodeling of the contour of the TMJ/reconstruction or replacement of the TMJ.

Living in America’s most lucrative city, New York is indeed a burden for those who are trying to find affordable dentists to fix their teeth. Many dental practitioners flock to New York for higher income opportunities while a lot of New Yorkers opt to take the subway to New Jersey to find a cheaper dentist there. But insofar as the quality of dentistry is concerned, New York is known for its array of seasoned dentists and dental health practitioners. The cost of getting a dental procedure done in New York may bear a gaping hole in the pocket, but with all the hype New York dentists are living up to, you know its going to be an effective procedure.

Cheap dentists in New York are hard to find, but with the help of the Internet, you may just land on a dental clinic that charges far less than its competitors. The best deals are on the internet, since the competition is very dense there, and dentists are also applying some marketing tactics of their own to secure recurring patrons in the guise of New Yorkers. Cheap dentistry fees are mostly offered on the website or on a directory listing of Dentists. E-discounts, as some may call them, can save you up to 50% off on a dental procedure if you know what dentist offers this coupon.

The benefits of finding cheap New York dentists on the internet are remarkably lengthy. First of all, you just don’t find cheap dentists – you hear other people’s testimonials about that dentist’s skills and rates. Probably the most information you can find is on Google Maps, where almost every dental clinic on the face of New York City is listed.

Cheap dentists often share similar traits regarding handling their dentistry business. You should consider getting a fee quotation from dentists who:

1. Have no website

2. Do not employ heavy promotion for their services

3. Run a sole proprietorship dentistry clinic or is a family business

Now if you’re wondering why you should consider low-profile dentists, it may be because they’re more focused on skill-building than marketing. But then again, there are some dentists who live up to their reputation of being “the best dentist in New York” or “the most famous cosmetic dentist in New York”. Either way, you should always start from the bottom of the ladder and work your way up until you’ve found a reputable dentist that can charge a modest amount for his/her services.

Cheap dentists, affordable dentists – they’re basically all the same. What matters is that they get the job done right and your savings don’t suffer the repercussions of dental financing. And, before anything else, always, and we mean “always” take a second opinion before barging into a clinic of a dentist you barely know, especially in New York.