What is TMD?. If your molars are cracked and worn, you might think you need to get your teeth fixed. If you have frequent headaches, you might think you need to take a headache relief medication. In both cases, you might be wrong. Symptoms such as worn molars, headaches, popping jaws, and neck or shoulder pain, may signal that you have temporomandibular disorders, or TMD. This collection of disorders centers on the functioning of the temporomandibular (jaw) joint and may also involve the airway. To understand more about TMD, we spoke with Mary Burns, D.M.D. Dr. Burns serves on the faculty of Harvard University and Boston University and lectures internationally on the topic of TMD. Dr. Burns has been working with White Family Dental for five years, training their practitioners on a wellness approach to the dentognathic (teeth and jaw) system.