Time, stress, and everyday jaw movement from talking, eating, and laughing can take a toll on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and cause TMJ issues. As we get older, our risk of developing TMJ increases. Many people begin to experience pain or difficulty chewing as they age. But why does this happen? The reasons why TMJ issues get worse with age and what to do about it are in this blog post. Read on to find out more information about the causes of TMJ problems as you get older, their symptoms, and how you can avoid them in the future.
It is interesting that most studies have shown that self-reported TMJ pain decreases with advancing age, whereas the radiographic signs of TMJ degeneration increase with advancing age.
Why Might TMJ Symptoms Change With Age?
TMJ symptoms may change because of arthritis, previous injury, missing teeth, muscle weakness, stress, jaw clenching or teeth grinding. Other pain conditions and changes in general health may also influence how jaw discomfort is experienced. However, ageing alone does not mean that a mild clicking joint will become painful or severely damaged.
How Are TMJ Problems Treated?
Treatment depends on whether the problem originates from the joint, chewing muscles or another condition. Initial management is generally conservative and may include:
- A temporary soft diet during painful episodes
- Avoiding gum chewing and excessive mouth opening
- Reducing daytime jaw clenching
- Applying heat or cold as professionally advised
- Jaw exercises or physiotherapy
- Short-term medicines when medically appropriate
- A carefully planned oral appliance in selected cases
Do TMJ Issues Get Worse With Age?
Temporomandibular disorders, commonly called TMD or TMJ problems, do not inevitably worsen as you grow older. Some people experience temporary jaw pain that improves with simple care, while others develop persistent symptoms requiring professional assessment. Age-related wear or arthritis can affect the jaw joint, but the severity of changes seen on a scan does not always match the amount of pain a person experiences.
What Is the Difference Between TMJ and TMD?
TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint located in front of each ear. TMD refers to a group of conditions affecting the jaw joints, chewing muscles and related structures. Symptoms may include jaw pain, facial pain, stiffness, restricted mouth opening, locking and painful clicking or grinding sounds.
TMJ Issue gets more aggravated with age
Temporomandibular joint issues can get worse with age because we naturally lose bone density as we age. This means that the jaw joint loses some of its support strength, which can lead to TMJ problems. Ageing also causes the muscles in the face, neck, and jaw to weaken, which can lead to TMJ issues. A weakened jaw can be caused by a loss of muscle mass around the jaw. This can make it difficult to chew, speak, and maintain proper jaw alignment. Additionally, the joint surfaces of the TMJ may also become less smooth, which can lead to TMJ issues.
Reasons why TMJ issue gets worse as we grow
The tissues in your jaw become less elastic. As we age, our tissues become less elastic, resulting in a less flexible jaw joint.
The jaw joint may lose its shape and alignment as we age. A decrease in the muscle around the jaw can cause the joint to weaken, which can lead to misalignment of the TMJ.
A weakened jaw can be caused by a loss of muscle mass around the jaw. This can make it difficult to chew, speak, and maintain proper jaw alignment.
The muscles surrounding the jaw joint can become weak. As we age, our muscles often become weaker, which can make it difficult to keep the TMJ in alignment.
Our teeth become less healthy and more fragile as we age. Our teeth can become less healthy and more brittle as we age, which can make them more susceptible to damage.
Temporomandibular joint disease, or TMJ, is a complex condition that often worsens over time. Typically caused by the misalignment of the teeth, TMJ can erode the joint capsule between the skull and the jawbone. It is tricky to diagnose, and some people suffer for years.
Possible Causes of TMJ Issue with age
- A decrease in the amount of oestrogen: Decreases in the amount of oestrogen in women can decrease the elasticity of the jaw joint, which can cause TMJ issues.
- An increase in stress: Stress can negatively affect the muscles around the jaw joint and cause TMJ issues.
- Decreased saliva production: A decrease in saliva production can lead to a reduction in saliva’s buffering properties and make the jaw joint more susceptible to damage.
- A decrease in bone density: A decrease in bone density can cause the jaw joint to weaken and become more susceptible to damage.
- A change in the shape of the face: A change in the shape of the face can cause misalignment of the TMJ.
When you have a TMJ disorder, you may have pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement. More women than men have TMJ issues. Although you can get it at any age, but it’s most common between the ages of 20 to 40 years old.
3 Age-related changes that cause TMJ issue
- An increase in the amount of stress: Stress is a major contributor to TMJ issues as we age.
- A decrease in saliva production can lead to an increase in gum inflammation and make you more susceptible to tooth decay.
- A change in weight and diet: Eating a healthy diet can help reduce TMJ issues. A weight change can also contribute to TMJ problems.
3 Steps To Take Care of Your Temporomandibular Joint
- Practice good stress management: Stress can worsen TMJ issues, so it’s important to learn to manage your stress levels.
- Get regular dental checkups: Visiting your dentist regularly can help catch any potential dental issues that may worsen TMJ issues.
- Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet can help reduce TMJ issues by reducing inflammation in the jaw.
Consult a dentist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon or orofacial pain specialist if you experience persistent jaw pain, repeated locking, difficulty opening the mouth, swelling, facial trauma or a sudden change in your bite. Pain near the jaw can also originate from dental infection, the ear, sinuses, nerves or other medical conditions. A proper diagnosis is therefore important before starting treatment.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why TMJ issues get worse with age, including a decrease in bone density and a decrease in the amount of oestrogen. It’s important to take care of your TMJ as you age by managing your stress levels and eating a healthy diet. You can also visit your dentist for regular checkups to catch any potential dental issues that could worsen TMJ problems.
TMJ problems do not necessarily worsen with age. Symptoms may improve, remain stable or fluctuate depending on the type of disorder, muscle activity, stress, injury and general health. Early assessment and conservative management can help control symptoms and maintain comfortable jaw movement. Complex or irreversible treatment should be considered only when simpler options are unsuitable or have failed.
FAQs
Are TMJ problems more common in older adults?
Degenerative joint changes may become more common with age, but painful TMD is not limited to older adults. Jaw pain and muscle-related TMD can occur at any age.
Can arthritis affect the TMJ?
Yes. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other joint conditions can affect the temporomandibular joint. Diagnosis may require examination and appropriate imaging.
Can untreated TMJ problems become permanent?
Many TMD symptoms are temporary and improve with conservative care. Persistent pain, repeated locking or restricted movement should be assessed to identify the specific cause.
Is jaw clicking normal?
Jaw clicking without pain or restricted movement is common and often does not require treatment. Painful clicking or locking should be examined.
Can missing teeth worsen TMJ pain?
Missing teeth may affect chewing patterns in some patients, but they are not automatically the cause of TMD. Jaw pain should be properly diagnosed rather than attributed to one factor alone.
Who should treat persistent TMJ pain?
Evaluation may begin with a dentist experienced in TMD, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or an orofacial pain specialist. Referral may be required depending on the diagnosis.
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Medical Disclaimer
This article is for patient education only. Dental treatment should be planned after clinical examination, medical history review, and X-rays or scans where required. Treatment suitability, cost, timeline, healing, and results vary from patient to patient.
