How are ear symptoms associated with TM Joint disorders?
It is due to the close location of the ear tissues to the TMJ. It’s common to find on x-rays that the Condyle Head is improperly positioned in the Joint space such that it is in intimate contact with the Tympanic bone. The consequence often is ear pain in the absence of infection, a sense of fullness, or stuffiness, in one or both ears, and sometimes ringing in the ears. If you go to the “X-Ray Views” page, you can see these reasons graphically. The hinge that connects the lower jaw to the temporal bone located in the skull, immediately in front of the ear on each side, is the temporomandibular joint. These joints have flexibility, which allows the jaw to move smoothly vertically and horizontally, enabling you to talk, chew, and yawn. Muscles that are attached to and surrounding the jaw control the movement and position of the jaw.
