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.
.gif)
