Jaw joint problems

If your head and neck hurt, your jaw joint may be to blame.

The jaw joint (TMJ) is responsible for chewing movements. However, if the bite is not right, a wide variety of symptoms can arise that extend far beyond the jaw joint. This is known as craniomandibular dysfunction (CMD), also called temporomandibular disorder (TMD). It refers to a malfunction in the interplay between the jaws, the jaw muscles and the jaw joints. TMD is one of the most common conditions in dentistry and can lead to numerous complaints that significantly impair quality of life.

The symptoms can run from head to toe and vice versa. On the one hand, disorders of the back and neck muscles (e.g. poor posture, a tilted pelvis or intervertebral disc problems) can cause misalignment of the jaw. On the other hand, a disorder of the jaw can also affect the rest of the body. The reason for this is that the masticatory system and the musculoskeletal system are closely connected and influence each other.

The most common symptoms are headaches, neck pain and back pain. However, an incorrect bite can cause many more problems: slipped discs in the spine, ear noises, tinnitus and dizziness, earache, pelvic pain, problems in the cervical spine, excessive tiredness and poor concentration, aching limbs, difficulty swallowing, clenching the teeth at night, joint wear and much more.

Because this pain extends across the whole body, a jaw joint disorder is often only recognised very late. However, there are a number of typical symptoms that point to a jaw misalignment

• Jaw joint noises (e.g. clicking of the jaw)
  
• Restricted movement of the lower jaw
  
• Earache
  
• Persistent headaches
  
• Neck and shoulder tension
  
• Tension in the back muscles
  
• Redness and swelling of the jaw joints

Cause

The symptoms usually stem from overloading of the jaw joint or the chewing muscles. The most common causes of jaw joint pain are jaw misalignments (craniomandibular dysfunction), poorly fitting dentures or dental restorations, gaps between the teeth and the resulting tooth migration, teeth grinding (bruxism) and osteoarthritis of the jaw joints.

These causes then lead to three types of jaw joint problems: firstly, pain in the muscles that control jaw movement (myofascial pain); secondly, inflammation and wear of the jaw joint; and thirdly, asymmetry of the joints, because parts of the jaw joint or the lower jaw shift or the head of the jaw joint (condyle) is injured.

Many patients have a long history of suffering behind them before the correct diagnosis of TMD is finally made and appropriate treatment can begin. For a long time, they are often treated only where the pain is felt, not where it originates. Only the symptoms are treated (e.g. infusions for back pain or medication for headaches or migraine), not the cause.

Yes we can: our treatment options

The aim of our treatment is even contact between all the teeth with the jaw joint in a stable position, to ensure that you are free of pain and discomfort. We offer the following treatment options:

• Jaw joint splints: For jaw joint problems, different splint technologies are used depending on the cause – for example, myopathy splints for muscle tension, distraction splints for loss of bite height or repositioning splints for an unstable bite position.
  
• Physiotherapy sessions: To correct bad habits such as bruxism or poor posture and thus support the entire joint system of the skull. The techniques used include massage and stretching of the neck and facial muscles, mobilisation with the help of tongue exercises, work on posture, and breathing and facial relaxation exercises.
  
• Orthodontics: In some cases, orthodontic treatment such as Invisalign or fixed braces makes sense. This treatment is often necessary after a jaw joint splint.
  
• Combined orthodontic and surgical treatment: In severe cases, a combination of orthodontic treatment and surgery makes sense.