Temporomandibular Joint Diseases (TMJ)
Joint disorders (Jaw Joint) usually cause symptoms such as tinnitus, ear, head, face and eye pain. It is a very common disorder today.
Especially due to Covid-19, which has been sweeping the world for more than a year, the frequency of occurrence has increased much more.
Structural disorders occurring in the jaw joint structures can be shown as the basis of TMJ joint disorders. Scientific studies have revealed that stress is at the forefront of TMJ problems.
In general, the most common problem among the symptoms seen in jaw joint diseases is extreme pain in the front of the ear, face and neck muscles, and temples. While patients may say that these pains occur suddenly, they can describe them as gradual or constant. Patients complaining about their jaw joint visit departments such as ENT and neurology until they realize that they have joint problems.
In addition to pain complaints, many problems such as sounds coming from the joint, jaw locking, jaw shifting to one side while opening, difficulty in eating, yawning and speaking are also encountered.
How is Diagnosis and Planning Made in Temporomandibular Joint Treatments?
Evaluation of patients with temporomandibular joint is very important. The treatment to be performed will be much more accurate with the correct diagnosis. For example, if the underlying cause of the temporomandibular joint problem is structural problems of the joint and injecting botulinum toxin (botox) just because it is popular will not cure it.
It is impossible to treat joint problems caused by the displacement of the disc inside the joint socket and degeneration of the hard tissue (bone) of the jaw joint, especially due to irritation in the jaw joint capsule or surrounding tissues, with cosmetic procedures such as Botox. Therefore, treatment should be applied that will solve the problem and it would be much more accurate to get help from people who are experts in TMJ (jaw joint) to achieve results.
What are the Causes of Jaw Joint Disorders?
While investigating the basis of TMJ problems, the definition of “disease” would be much more accurate since the causes of these disorders are not tied to a single cause.
Although it is due to some systemic diseases, sudden or continuous minimal traumas also cause joint problems. Spasms in the head and neck region due to stress, teeth clenching or grinding problems, and TMJ problems occur due to some neurological diseases.
What are the factors that cause temporomandibular joint disorders?
The most common factor in joint problems is trauma. A sudden blow to the head and neck region, the mouth being opened wider than normal, a strong force coming from under the jaw, etc. can be defined as trauma. In addition; as a result of dental treatments that take long and require the mouth to be opened too much, excessive opening of the jaw while general anesthesia is administered can cause trauma in the temporomandibular joint.
TMJ problems are frequently encountered in actions such as clenching or grinding teeth, biting lips, biting nails, and biting pencils, which are defined as abnormal habits. In recent scientific studies investigating TMJ problems, it has been proven that body posture relationships also play a major role in the emergence of TMJ disorders, even if they do not directly cause them.
The relationships between the upper and lower teeth, which we call occlusion, also play a very important role in the emergence of TMJ problems. TMJ problems are much more common, especially in cases where the jaws cannot be closed completely and properly due to tooth position problems or missing teeth. Unilateral eating habits lead to an increase in TMJ problems.
If you think you have a ME joint problem, you should consult a specialist. The most important point in TMJ joint diseases is the diagnosis of the disease. In order to correctly diagnose the condition in question, a detailed examination should be performed starting with the anamnesis (the individual's disease history) and including the mouth, jaw joint and muscles in the head and neck region. Conditions such as mouth opening, right-left, front-back movement capabilities of the jaws, joint sounds should be carefully examined. If deemed necessary, MRI or tomography of the jaw joint may be used.
Treatment in the Jaw Joint
There are many steps in the treatment of the jaw joint. It should not be forgotten that TMJ disorders should be treated as in other orthopedic and rheumatic diseases. The first goal in jaw joint treatment is to reduce the pressure in the jaw joint. The procedures to be performed to ensure this should be applied and followed by a specialist.
Temporomandibular Joint Diseases (TMJ) Our Doctors Interested in
For more detailed information about the physicians listed below and to make an appointment, please click on the View Doctor button.
Serhat RAMOĞLU
He was born in Trabzon in 1983. After completing his primary, secondary and high school education in Trabzon, ...
Examine Doctor
Melek RAMOĞLU
Melek RAMOĞLU, who was born in Adana in 1988, completed her education up to university in Adana. She started h...
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The articles and posts on our website are for informational purposes only. They cannot be used for diagnosis or treatment purposes in any way. Relevant experts should definitely be consulted for treatment.