Meaning & use
TMD
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Meanings
abbreviationmedical
Temporomandibular disorder: a painful condition affecting the jaw joint and the muscles used for chewing.
Grammar: Used as a countable noun phrase in medical writing: a TMD, or TMD as an uncountable condition.
Patterns
- have TMD
- suffer from TMD
- TMD symptoms
She was diagnosed with TMD after months of jaw pain.
People with TMD often hear a clicking sound when they open their mouth.
abbreviationinformal
Too much detail, used in informal messages to say someone has given more information than was needed.
Grammar: Used as a standalone comment in texting and chat; it is not part of a full sentence.
Patterns
- TMD
- that's TMD
TMD — I only asked what time the film starts.
He sent six paragraphs about his lunch. TMD.
Common combinations
- TMD symptoms
- Jaw clicking and headaches are common TMD symptoms.
- diagnosed with TMD
- He was diagnosed with TMD by a dental specialist.
- TMD treatment
- TMD treatment may include a mouth guard and physiotherapy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- TMJ disorder
- A very close term; 'TMJ' names the joint itself, while 'TMJ disorder' and 'TMD' both name the painful condition.
Commonly confused: TMD or TMJ?
TMD vs TMJ
TMJ is the temporomandibular joint, the body part; TMD is the disorder of that joint, so you have TMD but you do not 'have TMJ' as an illness.
Practice
A dentist writes: 'The patient reports jaw pain and clicking; likely ___.' Which fits best?
Choose one answer.
TMD is the jaw-joint disorder that matches the symptoms. TMI means 'too much information', which is about sharing details, not a medical condition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “TMD”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.