What complaints can occur in the temporomandibular joint?

Three symptoms dominate as complaints of temporomandibular joint diseases: In the case of inflammation of the temporomandibular joint and arthrosis, the pain determines the picture. The pain may not only be limited to the temporomandibular joint, but may also radiate. Mandibular lock and lockjaw become noticeable by the impossibility to open or close the mouth.

Most often, a temporomandibular joint cracking is noticeable, which, if there is no occlusion, requires further diagnostic measures.

Pain
Crack jaws and
Movement restrictions.
Cranio-mandibular dysfunction (CMD)
Jaw malpositions
Tumors of the jawbone
Tumors of the joint cartilage
Ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint
Arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint
Condylar hyperplasia of the lower jaw
Pine Necroses
Jaw cysts
Broken jaws

An inflammation in the joints is called arthritis. The cause can be attributed to many factors.

One of the most common is the development of an inflammation due to a permanent incorrect load, such as the nightly crunching.The temporomandibular joint does not have enough time to recover and is permanently subjected to heavy loads. The joint can also become inflamed if it is incorrectly toothed. This can be caused by gaps in the dentition or an improperly fitted prosthetic fitting, such as crowns, bridges or dentures.

If a crown has been made too high, one side of the joint makes contact earlier than the other and the joint is loaded incorrectly. This can also be a trigger for crunching. Given the many movements we make with it during the day, an inflammation is a normal consequence.

Inflammation is also possible if there has been traumatic damage to the teeth, such as after an accident or surgery. The symptoms of an inflammation of the temporomandibular joint range from pain and cracking to earache and headaches. The pain can become so severe that it is difficult to eat.

The tissue, like the bone, begins to wear out and thicken. Fluid accumulation also occurs. The temporomandibular joint is destroyed more and more.

The treatment measures depend on the respective condition of the joint. However, the aim is to be as non-invasive as possible, so that medication is prescribed, a splint is made and physiotherapeutic treatment is initiated. Crackling of the temporomandibular joint is one of the most common abnormalities in the oral cavity.

It is usually accompanied by temporomandibular joint pain, earache, headache and tension. Crackling is a symptom that indicates that something is wrong with the temporomandibular joint. The causes of temporomandibular joint clicking can be very diverse.

It can be caused by nocturnal crunching or by malpositioning of the teeth, which can lead to a permanent misloading of the joint. Due to the eruption of the wisdom teeth, constrictions in the dentition can occur, so that the existing teeth shift. As a result, normal occlusion is no longer given and the temporomandibular joint can be incorrectly loaded.

But also a gap in the dentition or an incorrect prosthetic restoration are possible triggers. Uneven tooth positions or excessive elevation of individual teeth/tooth leads to one-sided overloading and pain in the joint. Arthritic inflammation or arthrosis can also affect the temporomandibular joint, as with other joints.

Patients often come and report that the temporomandibular joint cracks when opening and closing. The cause is usually a cover bite, in which the upper front teeth are too steep and low above the lower teeth. As a result, the lower jaw has little freedom of movement and the temporomandibular joint cracks.

Craniomandibular dysfunction usually manifests itself in clicking jaw joints, just like an inflammation of the jaw joint. If the above-mentioned causes lead to incorrect loading, the articular disc, among other things, wears out so that it is no longer correctly fixed. If you now perform movements, it does not follow the head of the temporomandibular joint physiologically, but jumps in front of it or onto it.

This jumping is perceived by us as a cracking sound. In addition to these factors, bacterial or viral infections can also attack the temporomandibular joint. A displacement of the intercartilage disc can also cause jaw cracking.

If the head of the jaw slips out of the socket, the jaw is blocked, i.e. the patient can no longer close his mouth. This is usually the result of an excessive opening of the mouth when yawning. The opposite occurs when, for example, the mouth can no longer be opened due to inflammation or swelling in the rear tooth area.

This is a jaw clamp. This can be the result of an aggravated eruption of the wisdom tooth, or of inflammatory swellings after a surgical removal of the wisdom tooth. For therapy, splints are usually used, which prevent grinding during the night or allow a correct bite, thus preventing false loading.

Physiotherapy is additionally carried out if major problems are present. However, an individual diagnosis and treatment adapted to this is necessary for each patient. In general, osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint is a disease of wear and tear that is comparable to osteoarthritis of the knee or hip joint.

All these diseases occur at an advanced age (from the age of 60) and are caused by wear and tear of the joints. The cartilage that cushions the joint becomes thinner over the years and contains less water, which makes it crack. In addition, temporomandibular joint arthrosis is a bone loss caused by wear and abnormal movements.

This wear and tear can lead to restrictions in movement and severe discomfort with any movement.In contrast to hip joint and knee joint problems, the replacement of the joint in the temporomandibular joint is far from being established. This is because the temporomandibular joint is much more complex, since it is not a pure swivel or sliding joint, but both at the same time. The individually manufactured replacement joints cannot yet reproduce all functions one hundred percent, which is why temporomandibular joint arthrosis is often first treated conservatively.

An attempt is made to flush the temporomandibular joint with minimally invasive surgical techniques in order to relieve tension. Therapeutic approaches using Botox are also becoming increasingly popular as a means of relieving the symptoms. A fracture of the jaw represents an injury to one jaw (upper or lower jaw), which is comparable to bone fractures to other skeletal bones.

These fractures can occur as a result of an accident, but also after surgical tooth removal or due to a disease such as a tumor or cyst. Due to its anatomical structure, the lower jaw bone has a number of sites that can break quickly and where jaw fractures are also predominantly found. This includes the ascending branch towards the jaw joint head, which is a weak point.

Also the region under the respective canine is such a place, because the length of the root of the canine makes the thickness of the bone much thinner here than in other places. During a wisdom tooth operation, it often has to be milled out of the bone cavity, leaving a thin layer of bone. If the patient eats very hard food too early, the jaw can give way and break at this point.

Tumors or cysts can also weaken the bone so much that it can break at that point. If the fracture is displaced or comminuted, it must be surgically fixed with small plates and screws (osteosynthesis plates). These aids, made of titanium, prevent the fracture from rotating and hold it rigidly so that the bone can regenerate.

Healing is usually achieved after six to eight weeks. In the event of extreme movements of the jaw, the joint head can become caught in front of the joint cusp and thus be dislocated. A complete dislocation is referred to as a dislocation or dislocation, whereas a partial dislocation is called a subluxation.

These excessive movements include, for example, opening the mouth when yawning or vomiting. Patients are unable to close their mouths in the case of a complete dislocation. The lower jaw must first be repositioned to ensure that the jaw is closed again.

This treatment is carried out by the doctor with the so-called Hippocrates handle. To do this, the lower jaw must first be pushed downwards and then backwards in combination in order to move the head of the temporomandibular joint under the hump, where it is caught, and to restore the physiological position of the head in the joint fossa. The treatment of the dislocation is an act of a few seconds, which can be painful for a short time.

As a rule, however, no anesthesia is used for this procedure. After settling, all functions of the temporomandibular joint are usually restored and any movement can be performed again. If severe pain persists after setting-in, this may be caused by injury to the ligament and musculoskeletal system or cartilage.

If the pain persists even after several weeks, it is advisable to visit the dentist who will perform a DVT to find out the cause of the temporomandibular joint problem and then treat it. A malposition of the jaw belongs to the term dysgnathia, which means that the normal position of the jaw and teeth is changed. It is classified according to whether the malposition has a skeletal, i.e. bony, or a dental origin that affects the teeth.

For example, skeletal dysgnathies include an upper or lower jaw that is too small or too large. An example is a protruding lower jaw that prevents the upper jaw from growing. A cleft lip and palate also belongs to this group.

The malocclusions that affect the teeth usually represent a poor dentition, which makes the person concerned bite and chew at a disadvantage. These include open bites or cross bites. Both groups of malocclusions are treated by the orthodontist or in combination with the oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

By definition, a cyst is a cavity lined with epithelial cells that have a tendency to spread. This cavity contains fluid that attracts more and more fluid from the surrounding tissue due to osmotic pressure. A jaw cyst usually occurs in the lower jaw and can take various forms.One speaks of a radicular cyst when it develops around the root, which is probably the most common type of cyst.

Furthermore, cysts often develop around displaced wisdom teeth. In general, cysts usually spread without symptoms, unless they press on nerve tissue, so that the patient has a painful or numb feeling. If a cyst is diagnosed, it must be removed surgically.

The two surgical methods are cystectomy and cystostomy. In cystostomy, the fluid is let out of the cavity through an access, in cystectomy the complete “cyst sac” is also removed. After the surgical treatment of the cyst, there is always a certain risk for the patient that a cyst will form again at the same place.

The jaw clamp is a symptomatology with many different potential causes. It has the effect that the affected person cannot open his or her mouth. The lockjaw can occur on one side or both.

Therapeutically, muscle-relaxing medication is often prescribed to relieve muscle tension. Physiotherapy and massaging independent exercises can also relieve the symptoms. In the case of fractures or other causes, the mandibular lockjaw disappears when the actual cause is treated, for example, when the zygomatic arch fracture is surgically fixed.

One reason for this can be a cramping of the chewing muscles. In this case one speaks of a trismus.
Furthermore, a scar, a change in the temporomandibular joint, or the salivary glands can also cause a jaw clamp.
A fracture of the bony structures of the skull as well as the zygomatic bone can also trigger a jaw clamp and prevent the mouth opening.
If one is anaesthetized during a dental treatment, the muscle can also be injured by the sting of the syringe and form a bruise. This “hematoma” can also cause a jaw clamp.

The lockjaw is the complete opposite of the lockjaw.

With a lockjaw, the closure of the jaw is impaired and restricted and the mouth of the person affected is open. Possible causes can be jaw fractures that impede the functions of the jaw. If these are fixed surgically and strengthened with plates and screws, the symptoms also disappear.

Furthermore, the head of the jaw jumping out of the socket is also a reason for an open mouth. In this dislocation of the jaw, the symptoms disappear when the temporomandibular joint is set. After a brief resting position, all functions of the jaw are restored.

Inflammation of the temporomandibular joint or diseases of wear and tear such as osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint are also possible causes of a lockjaw. Once the inflammation has healed and the osteoarthritis has been treated, the symptoms usually disappear completely and the jaw can be closed properly again. Besides the teeth or gums, it is often the temporomandibular joint that can cause pain.

Because of the many movements it performs during the day, pain in the temporomandibular joint can restrict everyday life. Chewing, talking or just swallowing can become torture. The causes for this pain can be traced back to many possibilities.

The patient should pay attention to when they occur, for example rather in the morning or after eating. If the pain is only temporary or permanent. Brusixmus can be a possible cause.

This is a pressing or grinding of the teeth, which usually happens unnoticed and at night. It is triggered either by incorrectly fitted dentures or by mental suffering and a strong stress load. After getting up, the jaw seems tense and pain occurs.

The muscles are also overstrained, feeling stiff and tense. Bacteria are often responsible for pain in the oral cavity. They can also cause pain in the temporomandibular joint.

Bacteria work their way further and further through the tissue, attacking the jawbone and can thus also spread to the joint. It should also be noted that systematic destruction leads to incorrect loading within the chewing organ, for example the absence of a tooth, which causes the other teeth to start migrating. This also reveals another cause for pain in the temporomandibular joint, namely incorrect loading.

This can either be caused naturally, by migration and tilting of teeth or by the eruption of wisdom teeth. But it can also be caused by prosthetic fittings that do not fit well, such as a crown that is too high/deep, incorrect bridges or dentures that do not fit properly. The temporomandibular joint is permanently incorrectly loaded and causes pain.

This often leads to so-called craniomandibular dysfunction.This is the malfunction of all parts of the jaw, such as muscles, bones and tissue. A permanent false or incorrect load can, as in any other joint, lead to arthritis in the temporomandibular joint, which can also cause very unpleasant pain. If not treated, the arthritis can continue into osteoarthritis and lead to permanent damage.

The cause of temporomandibular joint pain can also be general tension, especially in the spine, or a permanent incorrect load and incorrect posture. Cold-related pain in the facial area can radiate into the joint. Side effects of temporomandibular joint problems are usually headaches, neck and ear pain and pain in the jaw and ear.

The simplest therapy is a heat treatment. However, it is often not sufficient. If the load is uneven due to height differences of individual teeth, the teeth must be ground in.

In the case of stress-related grinding, which has led to overloading of the temporomandibular joint and the chewing muscles, a bite splint can help. If there is cartilage damage, an operation is necessary. In most cases, it is sufficient to remove the disturbing cartilage particles or to smooth the frayed cartilage by means of arthroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure. The jaw clamp disappears as the temporomandibular joint inflammation subsides. The jaw lock is removed by repositioning the protruding jaw head.