What Is the Temporomandibular Joint?
The Temporomandibular joint connects the lower jaw, called the mandible,
to the temporal bone at the side of the head. If you place your fingers
just in front of your ears and open your mouth, you can feel the joint
on each side of your head. Because these joints are flexible, the jaw
can move smoothly up and down and side to side, enabling us to talk, chew
and yawn. Muscles attached to and surrounding the jaw joint control its
position and movement.
When we open our mouths, the rounded ends of the lower jaw, called condyles,
glide along the joint socket of the temporal bone. The condyles slide
back to their original position when we close our mouths. To keep this
motion smooth, a soft disc lies between the condyle and the temporal bone. This disc absorbs shocks to the TMJ from chewing and other movements.
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