temporomandibular joint disorder

noun

variants or temporomandibular joint syndrome or temporomandibular joint dysfunction

: 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 disorder

Tooth grinding and clenching are symptomatic of a condition known as bruxism. It can lead to temporomandibular joint disorder that, in turn, can cause headaches.

—Topeka (Kansas) Capital-Journal

An arthritic joint is one cause of temporomandibular joint syndrome. … Whatever the cause, resting the joint eases pain. A soft diet for a short time is one way of resting the joint.

—Paul Donohue

Chewing gum to replace the need to eat can stress the temporomandibular joint and lead to temporomandibular joint dysfunction.

—Elizabeth MacSween

—abbreviation TMD, TMJ

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for temporomandibular joint disorder

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