Bruxism, TMD and Pain

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Bruxism

Stress and anxiety. A dangerous combination that can trigger many health problems, one of which is considered one of the ills of the century: bruxism.

You know that moment of stress when you clenched your jaw very hard and then felt intense pain? Has anyone ever complained that you grind your teeth while you sleep? Then you fit the diagnosis of bruxism perfectly.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), bruxism affects about 40% of the world's population.

As treatment, we recommend medication to relax the muscles responsible for clenching, a custom-made night guard, which helps prevent damage caused by clenching or uncontrolled movement of the dental arches, and follow-up appointments combined with brain reprogramming.

TMD - Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the structure that connects the lower jaw to the temporal bones of the skull.

The TMJs are among the most complex joints in the body. Located one on each side of the head, these joints work together and can make many different movements, including a combination of rotation and translation (gliding), used in chewing and speaking.

Each TMJ has a disc between the condyle of the jaw and the joint socket. The disc cushions the load while allowing the jaw to open wide and move. Any problem that prevents this complex system of muscles, ligaments, discs and bones from working together properly can result in a painful TMJ disorder.

Some TMJ problems result from arthritis, dislocation and injury. These conditions can cause pain and dysfunction. The muscles that move the joints are also subject to injury and disease.

Other important factors relate to the way the teeth fit together (dental occlusion), which can cause various types of TMJ disorders. Stress is also believed to be a factor. TMJ disorders mainly affect women of reproductive age.

Temporomandibular joint disorder, better known as TMD, occurs when there are problems with the muscles and the jaw.

Some of the most common symptoms of TMD include:

Pain in the face, jaw or ear area
Headaches (often like migraines), earaches, and pain and pressure behind the eyes
A clicking or popping sound when opening or closing the mouth
The jaw “gets stuck”, locks or dislocates
Tenderness in the jaw muscles
Facial swelling

While there is no single cure for TMJ disorders, there are different treatments that can dramatically reduce symptoms.

Orofacial Pain

More than 15% of adults suffer from chronic orofacial pain.

Orofacial pain is pain in the head, face, neck, mouth or jaw. Wherever it is located, the explanation for the discomfort may be something simple, such as a cavity, an inflamed tooth or TMD, or the cause may be harder to identify, such as MPS (myofascial pain syndrome).

Home remedies, medication and dental or surgical interventions may be needed, depending on the cause of the pain.

MPS is the most common condition affecting the temporomandibular region. It is more frequent in women and has a bimodal age distribution, at the start of the third decade of life and around menopause.

In the affected muscle, both pain and trigger points (which cause referred pain) can result from parafunctional behaviors such as bruxism (clenching and grinding of the teeth), which is seen as two distinct entities: sleep bruxism and awake bruxism, each with different causes.

Myofascial pain syndrome is not limited to the chewing muscles. It can occur anywhere in the body, but most commonly involves the muscles of the neck, shoulders and back.

Symptoms include pain and tenderness of the chewing muscles and, frequently, pain and limited sideways and forward jaw movements. Bruxism at night and irregular breathing during sleep (such as obstructive sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome) are associated with headaches that are worse on waking and gradually ease during the day.

Daytime symptoms, including jaw muscle fatigue, jaw pain and headaches, usually worsen if the parafunctional behavior continues throughout the day.

The jaw deviates when opening the mouth, but usually not as suddenly or always at the same point of opening as occurs with internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint.