Diagnosis

Your doctor or dentist will discuss your symptoms and examine your jaw. He or she will probably:

• Listen to and feel your jaw when you open and close your mouth
• Observe the range of motion in your jaw
• Press on areas around your jaw to identify sites of pain or discomfort

If your doctor or dentist suspects a problem, you may need:

• Dental X-rays to examine your teeth and jaw
• CT scan to provide detailed images of the bones involved in the joint
• MRI to reveal problems with the joint's disk or surrounding soft tissue

TMJ arthroscopy is sometimes used in the diagnosis of a TMJ disorder. During TMJ arthroscopy, your doctor inserts a small thin tube (cannula) into the joint space, and a small camera (arthroscope) is then inserted to view the area and to help determine a diagnosis.