The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts like a sliding hinge, connecting the jawbone to the skull. TMJ disorders can cause pain in the jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement. It is characterized by difficulty or inability to open the mouth. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the site where the upper jaw (maxilla) and lower jaw (mandible) meet. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the area directly in front of the ear on either side of the head where the upper jaw (maxilla) and lower jaw (mandible) meet. The TMJ is used throughout the day to move the jaw, especially in biting and chewing and yawning. It is one of the most frequently used joints of the body.
TMJ plays a pivotal role in the normal chewing process, and is in fact essential for proper chewing, so that and any disease of this joint compromises the ability to make normal mouth movements and chew food. An affected animal will feel pain when closing or opening the mouth, or both. Diseases and disorders of the TMJ are referred to as temporomandibular joint disorders.
TMJ plays a pivotal role in the normal chewing process, and is in fact essential for proper chewing, so that and any disease of this joint compromises the ability to make normal mouth movements and chew food. An affected animal will feel pain when closing or opening the mouth, or both. Diseases and disorders of the TMJ are referred to as temporomandibular joint disorders.
Though these disorders can occur in any dog breed, certain breeds like basset hounds are more predisposed to TMJ disorders. Open-mouth mandibular locking has been reported in Irish setters and basset hounds.
Common symptoms of these disorders include
Difficulty opening/closing the mouth
Mandible bone may be out of place and visible form the side of the face (deviation of the mandible bone)
Pain when chewing food
Vocalizing, whining while trying to eat
Loss of appetite
