Gangdong-gu Orthodontic Clinic: Malocclusion and the Temporomandibular Joint Are Closely Related.

Hello,

I’m Lee Ju-ri, the chief dentist at Seoul Bardi Dental Clinic.

It is said that one-quarter of modern people have a temporomandibular joint disorder.

But... Among those who feel discomfort in the temporomandibular joint, a significant number also have malocclusion.

If you look closely, the reason for jaw pain is often something that starts with the way the teeth fit together.

Today, I’ll explain in an easy and friendly way how malocclusion and temporomandibular joint disorder are connected.

<Contents>

What is temporomandibular joint disorder?
2. Why malocclusion affects the temporomandibular joint
3. Orthodontic treatment and the temporomandibular joint

1. What is temporomandibular joint disorder?

Do you hear a clicking sound from your jaw, or feel stiffness when opening your mouth?

You may also feel pain in the jaw.

These symptoms are referred to as “temporomandibular joint disorder.”

250403 X-ray taken to diagnose temporomandibular joint disorder

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is not just a simple jaw problem.

Of course, whether the problem is with the muscles or whether the joint has changed shape requires an X-ray...

It often develops not simply because of the jaw itself, but because of repeated stress placed on the jaw.

And the start of that stress may be malocclusion.

250630 Malocclusion

2. Why malocclusion affects the temporomandibular joint

When people think of malocclusion, they often imagine crooked teeth.

But upper and lower teeth not fitting together well, and contact on only one side, are also malocclusion.

Our temporomandibular joints are on both sides, so the teeth should also fit together properly on both sides.

The moment imbalance occurs, stress builds up in the temporomandibular joint.

230508

If the teeth are not aligned, the jaw becomes twisted too.

If the upper and lower teeth do not fit together normally, the jaw has no choice but to move in a twisted or asymmetrical way.

Your face will become asymmetrical too, right??

Also, the habit of chewing on only one side can trigger temporomandibular joint problems.

You chew unconsciously only on the side that feels more comfortable.

250704 Patient with one-sided tooth wear

You should chew evenly on both sides, but using only one temporomandibular joint too much can cause pain.

Third, the jaw has no time to rest.

The temporomandibular joint should rest in a comfortable position,

but if the teeth do not fit together properly, the position of the temporomandibular joint disc also becomes unstable.

Orthodontic treatment and the temporomandibular joint should be considered together.

Orthodontic treatment and the temporomandibular joint are also closely related.

For this reason, during orthodontic treatment, your jaw may hurt.

Because the position of the teeth keeps changing and is unstable.

Sometimes the upper and lower teeth are temporarily prevented from touching.

Can orthodontic treatment improve the temporomandibular joint?

This is a question many people ask.

The answer is, “It can.”

Orthodontic treatment can help the temporomandibular joint in the following cases.

When malocclusion (crowded teeth, crossbite, protruding mouth, etc.) causes the jaw to move in an abnormal position,

if orthodontic treatment stabilizes the bite,

the burden on the temporomandibular joint may decrease.

During orthodontic treatment, treatments such as physical therapy for the temporomandibular joint may be needed.

However, for people who already have temporomandibular joint disease, those symptoms may become worse,

so it is safer to plan orthodontic treatment after treatment to stabilize the temporomandibular joint.

If malocclusion is not treated,

the lifespan of the teeth becomes shorter and it also places stress on the jaw.

No matter how much treatment is done for temporomandibular joint disorder, if the underlying malocclusion is not resolved,

it will only be temporary.

Rather than looking at them separately, it is important to diagnose them as connected issues.

I hope you understand that just because your temporomandibular joint feels uncomfortable, it does not necessarily mean there is a problem with the jaw itself.

The issue may be the bite problem in the teeth that is not visible from the outside.

On the contrary, orthodontic treatment may even make the temporomandibular joint feel more comfortable.

Keep the teeth aligned neatly, and keep the temporomandibular joint in the correct position!

Thank you for reading this long post.

Gangdong-gu Orthodontic Clinic: Malocclusion and the Temporomandibular Joint Are Closely Related.

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