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A common gag in unsupported teen comedies is moving the jawbone of a skeleton and dubbing it. If you think about it, it turns out what a clever mechanism the pond is, which allows us to open our mouths millions, billions, or even billions of millions of times in our entire lives. This tireless machine is the temporomandibular joint.
Pond inconspicuous
The temporomandibular joint ensures the mobility of the mandible necessary for chewing food. It allows her to move back and forth, up and down and side to side. We usually make these movements unconsciously, and until even a minor trauma makes them difficult, we do not appreciate the wonderful ease with which we bite off a piece of apple or the possibility of smoothly extending the lower jaw, which demonstrates the intensity of the just shot.
The motor function of the joint is possible thanks to the condyle of the mandibular bone located in the fovea of the temporal bone. Between them there is an articular disc that absorbs movements within the joint. As long as everything is functioning smoothly, we may not be aware of the TMJ, but when it does develop, it will not go unnoticed. The basic symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (abbreviated as: lsh) are the jaw pain in the ear area that increases with eating or wide opening of the mouth, limited jaw mobility, as well as the jaw jamming or even falling out of the joint. Sometimes you can hear the characteristic crunch or shooting accompanying the opening and closing of the mouth. In addition to these obvious signals, there may also be symptoms that, in the minds of patients and sometimes doctors, are not related to the jaw area in any way.
The dentist Marcin Dolecki, who runs the dental office “My Dentist” in Legionowo, surprises with the figures:
– According to statistical studies, approximately 90% of headaches are associated with a disease of the temporomandibular joint. Back pain, degeneration of the knee joints and other problems resulting from long-term degeneration of the body should also be added.
On his website, among the symptoms that may indicate problems with the temporomandibular joint, Marcin Dolecki also mentions pains in the neck, ears, space behind the eyes, as well as dizziness, tingling in the fingers or even fainting.
What causes and what heals?
There are many causes of lung disorders, although the most common are malocclusion (when the mandible is excessively shifted back) and dental cavities. For us, the lack of even one tooth is a challenge for the bite, which must adapt to this loss. Its layout changes automatically, and thus the adjustment of the upper and lower jaw, which is the basis for the proper operation of the suction unit. Badly chosen dentures work in the same way. It is worth paying attention to whether we grit our teeth during times of strenuous effort or stress. If so, become aware of the habit and try to control it. Interestingly, one of the causes of faulty work of the temporomandibular joint may be a bad body posture!
Ailments on the part of suckers can result in various types of jaw injuries, as well as the so-called whip trauma, most often suffered in road accidents. It consists in a strong throwing of the head first backwards and then forwards.
The method of treatment is selected individually for a specific patient, and above all for the cause of the disease. In the case of suction dysfunctions caused by an incorrect bite and a faulty arrangement of the teeth or cavities, first of all, the bite and teeth are corrected. The bite is adjusted with a special splint prepared for the patient, which he wears on his lower teeth for about half a year. Teeth stabilizing treatment takes longer, because the fixed orthodontic appliance is worn for about two years. The dentist may decide to put on crowns or bridges, or suggest a prosthesis to the patient.
How to prevent the development of temporomandibular joint dysfunction?
Doctor Marcin Dolecki recommends:
– The sooner we start to prevent a defective deep bite and a receding jaw from developing and clenching the teeth, the better. Works well when your child is 6-7 years old. Even then, it is possible to intervene orthodontically or orthopedically and repair the incorrect position and shape of the jaws, the arrangement of the teeth, as well as control and correct posture defects. One of the main causes of tooth clenching is instability in the sacroiliac joint, i.e. the connection between the pelvis and the spine. You should also take care of the proper selection of orthopedic insoles, because the posture of the body adjusting to the deformed feet causes the lower jaw to retract.
It is worth remembering the principle of flapping butterfly wings, which can cause a tornado in the other hemisphere. A seemingly subtle scratch of the jaw while yawning can cause many unpleasant ailments, including headache (of both hemispheres) at the forefront.
Read also:
- Painful temporomandibular joint syndrome (Costen’s syndrome)
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