Duration of temporomandibular joint inflammation
The duration of a temporomandibular joint inflammation depends entirely on the individual situation of the patient. Depending on the cause and already existing duration of the pain, it can take some time until the inflammation has subsided. Since in most cases the muscles are over-functioning, patients are fitted with a splint that absorbs the forces.
It may take a few weeks for the joint position to improve. However, painkillers should not be in long-term use to avoid the side effects and possible dependence (with opiates). At the beginning of the treatment, they are used to initiate measures that address the cause of the TMJ inflammation.
Summarized information
Temporomandibular joint inflammation is a very painful and unpleasant disease. Movements, such as chewing, yawning or speaking, which are otherwise normal and are not perceived, suddenly cause great pain and unpleasant noises. The temporomandibular joint begins to become inflamed, and movements are only possible to a limited extent.
The many different causes allow for a wide range of treatment, which should be initiated as early as possible in order to stop any long-term damage early on. A visit to a dentist is the first point of contact, who will examine the temporomandibular joint and assess its functional condition. In many cases of temporomandibular joint problems, cooperation with other doctors from different specialties (such as ENT) is also necessary in order to treat arthritis in time and well.
The exact name of the temporomandibular joint is Articulatio temporomandibularis. The joint is a split joint. The temporomandibular joint is located shortly before the external auditory canal and consists of parts of the temporal bone, the condyles (extensions) of the lower jaw, an articular disc, a joint capsule and ligaments.
Further ahead of the temporal bone is the tubercle (tuberculum articulare). When viewed from the side, the joint surface and the articulated tubercle result in an S-shape. This joint is a true joint, which has cartilage-covered joint surfaces separated by a gap.
A liquid is created in the joint cavity, which forms a kind of lubricant, so that they can slide on top of each other optimally. The joint cavity is formed by the os temporale, the temporal bone. The pit itself is separated by fissures (fissures) into an anterior and a posterior part.
Only the front part is the one that forms the joint surface. This is therefore the place where the condyle, the joint head, moves within the pit. The rear part is also counted as part of the joint, but it does not form the movement surface.
In the posterior surface lies the so-called retro-articular cushion. This consists of nerves, fat, veins and connective tissue. The discus articularis mentioned above is located between the joint surface and the joint head.
It is like a cushion and divides the joint into two separate joint chambers. Above the discus is the discotemporal chamber, below it the discomandibular chamber. Different temporomandibular joint movements take place in each of the two chambers.
Thus, the discomandibular chamber has a rotational movement (rotation) and the discotemporal chamber has a sliding movement (translation). The mouth opening is a combination of both movements. The discus articularis itself can also be further divided into a vascular-poor anterior and a vascular-rich posterior section.
It is important that the posterior section is divided into two leaves, thus forming the bilaminar zone. The upper leaf has elastic fibers, the lower leaf has fibers rich in vascularity. Between the two leaves is the retro-articular pad, which was explained further above in the text.
The joint is surrounded by a capsule, the Capsula articularis. In addition to this capsule, there are also various ligaments, which are sometimes more or less involved in securing the joint. For example, the lateral ligament, the stylomandibular ligament or the sphenomandibular ligament.
In addition to securing the joint, they are mainly responsible for limiting certain movements.Thus, we are not able to push the jaw forward indefinitely, which is partly caused by the ligaments. This topic might also be of interest to you: Inflammation of the jawIf the temporomandibular joint is healthy and shows no inflammation, the articular disc should ideally lie like a cap on the condyle during normal biting. In this way, the disc can also lie a little further forward.
If the lower jaw is now moved forward, or the mouth is opened or closed, the condyle and the disc move forward or backward together so that the cap remains on the condyle. The condyle moves only a little bit further forward. Of course, there can be deviations again, which are without complications and do not require treatment.
