TMJ

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint. It is the joint that connects your jaw to your skull, and it is very unique compared to the other major joints in the human body such as the knee, hip, elbow, and shoulder. The knee and the elbow are hinge joints, meaning they move just like a door hinge. The shoulder and hip have rotational movement to them. The temporomandibular joint is unique in a couple of ways. First, you have to move both joints at the same time and cannot choose to only move one joint. Also, the initial movement of the TMJ is a hinge movement, and that is followed by a translational movement where the jaw comes out of the area where it usually is so it is like an intentional dislocation.