Jaw Joint Diseases – Facial Pain
Diagnosis and treatment of jaw joint diseases are in the field of dentistry. However, because it involves other medical branches, it can sometimes be a complex situation and cause patients to seek physicians in various branches. It is usually encountered in females and more frequently in the range of 20-40. Jaw joint anatomy; A sphere called the condyle of the lower jaw is inside the concave fossa of the upper jaw and there is a joint cartilage (disc) between the two bones. The disc is attached to the jawbone with ligaments. There are chewing muscles around the jaw joint.
If you live with the following statement, you also have jaw joint disease;
The sound (click sound) is heard when the mouth is opened and closed, the presence of pain during these movements,
Limitations in mouth opening, inability to open,
When you open the mouth, dislocation of the jaw and the condyle in front of the ear.
Pain in facial muscles, chewing muscles and neck muscles,
Feeling of ear fullness and tinnitus,
Pain behind the eye, even on the hair roots,
Pain in front of the ear,
Especially difficulty to open mouth in the morning, feeling of sticking
Headache when you wake up
What causes the jaw joint problem?
The most important cause is the stress. Tooth bite (bruxism) is the most important reason.
Dental disorders: failure tooth prosthesis, long duration toothlessness, tooth malocclusion.
Stretching in the muscle (muscle myospasm)
Arthritis or tumor in the jaw joint
A strike or trauma to the jaw joint.
How is the diagnosis done? The dentist receives a detailed medical history. Dental examination is done first. Various jaw movements are made and the tooth relation is examined. The opening and closing movements give a good idea. Face, head and neck muscles are examined. It would be good to have a panoramic x-ray. Often a diagnosis is made with a well-received anamnesis and a detailed examination. In rare cases, the jaw MR is desired. It may originate from the muscles, bone and cartilage tissue, or from all tissues in complex cases. Identifying this is very important for the treatment approach. How is the treatment? Treatment; If there is pain in the face, in the muscles, around the joint, and there is a restriction in jaw movements, it is absolutely necessary. A splint (transparent, stiff plaque) we want to use while in the mouth, especially when sleeping, is often done. If necessary, physical therapy, LASER, jaw exercises are added to the treatment. Splint is recommended to be used for a long time. It is very important for the physician to follow the treatment for at least 3 months. The physician may also want treatment from different branches. These; psychiatry, neurology, ear-nose-throat, physical therapy. Arthrocentesis (laparoscopic joint fluid injection), open jaw surgery is the last preferred treatment method.
