Jaw joint cracking while chewing
Many of those affected only have complaints on one side, but not on both sides. In general, this means that only one temporomandibular joint tends to pop out and the other remains in the normal joint path. It is quite possible to feel these symptoms bilaterally.
The causes can be varied. Due to a disturbed bite, one or both sides can wear out to such an extent that the temporomandibular joint cannot maintain the normal joint path. In this case one speaks of temporomandibular joint arthrosis. Crunching and pressing can also trigger arthrosis over a longer period of time if left untreated. Furthermore, a blow or impact during trauma can cause a fracture, which if left untreated can cause the joint to spring out.
Therapy for temporomandibular joint cracking
Since the development of temporomandibular joint cracking can have various causes, the therapy must be adapted as far as possible to the treatment of the causative disease. Only in this way can the symptom jaw joint cracking be eliminated in the long term and the patient be kept free of complaints. The correct treatment therefore depends on the diagnosis made by the dentist.
In patients who suffer from incorrect stress on the joint due to worn or incorrectly adapted dentures, which lead to TMJ cracking, it is essential to replace or grind in the joint as quickly as possible. If temporomandibular joint cracking is caused by inflammatory temporomandibular joint pain, the source of which is inflammation of the muscles or the joints themselves, both pain-relieving (analgesics) and anti-inflammatory (antiphlogistics) drugs are usually used. Since the inflammatory processes often lead to the occurrence of severe tension, targeted massages and relaxation exercises are also performed.
For patients suffering from temporomandibular joint cracking, which is caused by asymmetries in the position of the teeth or by crowded teeth, orthodontic treatment is often the only method to achieve freedom from symptoms. In addition, the preparation and regular wearing of a bite splint for patients who tend to grind their teeth (bruxism) in stressful life situations or who bite each other violently can already help in most cases. By wearing the bite splint, further tooth abrasion is avoided and the remaining tooth substance is protected.
Furthermore, the jaw bones in the joint are more relaxed when using the bite splint. The result is a quick reduction of the jaw joint cracking. Exercises that can remedy the problem are massaging the overstrained muscles.
The hardened muscle strands can be loosened by circular movements and light pressure, so that the stiffness is released. Even knots can be massaged out in this way. Furthermore, the temporomandibular joint can be trained by opening the mouth to its maximum, so that the head of the temporomandibular joint no longer pops out.
The mouth may only be opened as far as necessary without the patient feeling pain. Loosening exercises by moving sesame seeds or cherry stones in the mouth with the tongue and tissues is also advisable. If all these exercises do not alleviate the symptoms, it is advisable to visit the dentist who will refer you to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon if no conservative therapy with special physiotherapy is helpful.
