8 questions to know if you have to Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction
Written by:Almost half of the population suffers from some sort of sign or symptom associated with craniofacial disorders and most are unaware
Orofacial pain, what it is?
As its name suggests, it is pain that affects the area of the face and / or head, mouth and teeth. These pains, when they have a dental origin, in most cases relate to craniomandibular dysfunction. In fact, these disorders affect about 40% -50% of the population, and most do not know how to identify these problems.
In fact, for some people does not cause any discomfort, however, in other cases swallowing, eating and talking can be a real ordeal for the pain it causes.
Symptoms that cause this dysfunction ranging from acute and chronic pain in or in front of both ears radiating to the head, face, teeth, jaw, mouth, throat, neck, neck, shoulders and arms. Also, the patient may feel joint noises like clicks and pops and buzzes or beeps.
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction
- Do you have jaw pain ahead, around or in the ear itself?
- Do you notice noise or clicks (to open or close the mouth) in the temporomandibular joint?
- Do you notice that you can not fully open or close the mouth and try to hurt?
- Do you notice sensitive teeth worn or you think that closing will not close?
- Do you suffer from chronic headaches?
- Have you noticed that his face widens because the muscles get bigger?
- Do you have discomfort when yawning?
- Have you received a blow to the jaw or have had arthritis?
If you answered yes to four or more of these questions, you may be suffering from a syndrome of temporomandibular joint dysfunction or orofacial pain.
Temporomanibular joint and works
The temporomandibular joint is the most complex joint in the body and used. It is responsible for opening and closing the mouth. Thanks to her, jaw articulates with the temporal bone of the skull, ear front and on each side of the head. This link is used for essential functions in humans such as chewing, talking, swallowing and yawning.
Therefore, any disorder in the functioning of the temporomandibular joint, as well as the movement patterns of the muscles of mastication, can cause this kind of pain.
In addition, the mandibular operation is a complex system that can not work alone, but is framed within a larger system called stomatognathic system. This includes anatomically: teeth and the structures that surround and support the jaws, the temporomandibular (ATM) joints, muscles attached to the jaw, lip and tongue muscles, cervical spine, blood vessels and nerves and corresponding the cranium.
Treatment of orofacial pain
The therapist is the health professional who deals restore any abnormalities of the locomotor system. The skull, mouth and temporomandibular joint are part of this system. You can work the symptom, the cause or origin of the problem, to work and re-education or rescheduling the work of coordination between different professionals.
The patient may experience relief from the first session, where a complete study of the general position of the individual, the state of your spine is done, and begin to release areas of both joint and muscle blockade.
More long term, re-educate movement patterns to retrieve the correct gestures and less harmful to the craniomandibular biomechanics. It depends on the lifestyle of the patient, you may be permanent or need occasional maintenance sessions.
