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Does pain arise when you try to open your mouth wide? Or maybe when you opened your mouth you heard a soft click? It’s time to visit the dentist! You probably have problems with the temporomandibular joint.
Precise hinge mechanism
The temporomandibular joint, or rather a pair of joints, is a type of hinge that connects the mandible to the skull (specifically the temporal bone). The head of the mandibular bone fits into a specific cavity in the temporal bone (articular fossa). The cooperation of these two bones is absorbed by the articular disc (a piece of cartilage) and the whole is surrounded by a joint capsule. A small articular disc prevents pressure on nerves and blood vessels. Due to the sensitive location (between the mandible and the skull), its proper functioning affects the nerves and muscles of the head and neck.
If the lower jaw is in the correct position, then we can open our mouth wide without feeling discomfort or making any noise. Then the muscles that connect the mandible and skull function properly. This is important because the temporomandibular joint takes an active part in the process of speaking or chewing food. If the “hinges” break, painful syndrome of the temporomandibular joint (Costen’s syndrome) occurs.
When talking hurts
This disease is most common in women over 40. Revealed:
— pain when opening your mouth,
— restriction of mobility (you cannot open your mouth too wide),
— abnormal range of jaw movements,
— mandibular deviation (e.g. when the lower jaw is protruding forward, it moves slightly to the side).
You can hear crackling and rubbing when you open your mouth. There is a headache when chewing and talking for a long time. It is strongest in the area of the temporomandibular joint. From here it can radiate to the temples or the face. The cause of the pain is an incorrect bite.
The treatment should be carried out by a dentist. Its form depends on the cause of the joint dysfunction. If it is, for example, an anatomical defect, surgery may be necessary.
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