temporomandibular disorder

noun

plural temporomandibular disorders

: any of various musculoskeletal or neuromuscular conditions that are characterized by pain or tenderness in the temporomandibular joint or surrounding muscles and nerves and often by other symptoms (such as headache, neck pain, or a clicking or popping sound on jaw movement) and that have various causes (such as bruxism, injury, arthritis, or a misaligned bite) : temporomandibular joint disorder

He was diagnosed with a temporomandibular disorder that caused the muscles surrounding the joints in his jaw to tighten and feel locked. It also caused pain in his neck and back and about 12 months of sporadic, debilitating migraines.

—Colin Warren-Hicks

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) refer to issues you may have with your jaw and facial muscles. … A TMD can be caused by a variety of things; an injury to your head, neck, or jaw, grinding or clenching teeth, arthritis, and stress are all possibilities.

—Denise Freese

Popularly called TMJ, for the joint where the upper and lower jaws meet, temporomandibular disorders actually represent a wider class of head pain problems that can involve this pesky joint, the muscles involved in chewing, and related head and neck muscles and bones.

—Jane E. Brody

—abbreviation TMD, TMJ

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for temporomandibular disorder

• boarder
• border
• corder
• order
• warder
• camcorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

Medical Definition

temporomandibular disorder

noun

: temporomandibular joint syndrome

—abbreviation TMD