Dental Physiotherapy: The Key to Oral Health and Jaw Muscle Wellness
Excessive tension in the jaw muscles has become a common problem, affecting an increasing number of people. Thanks to advances in dental physiotherapy, effective treatment of this condition is possible, providing relief for patients suffering from pain and discomfort and preventing the negative impact on dental tissues. Learn about excessive tension in the jaw muscles and how to effectively manage this issue.
What are Excessive Tensions in Jaw Muscles?
Excessive tension in the jaw muscles is a condition where the muscles responsible for jaw movements are constantly tense and unable to relax. These increased tensions lead to temporomandibular joint dysfunction, which can manifest as pain, tinnitus, clicking, and jaw locking.
Causes of Excessive Tensions in Jaw Muscles
Many factors can contribute to excessive tension in the jaw muscles, including:
- Stress
- Poor posture, spinal issues
- Temporomandibular joint injuries
- Bad habits, parafunctions
- Bite problems
- Side effects of certain medications
- Orthodontic treatment
One of the main reasons for increased jaw muscle tension is stress. It usually causes subconscious teeth clenching during the day or excessive jaw movements, leading to habitual grinding – known as bruxism.
The second most common cause of increased tension is spinal problems. Typically, tension results from poor posture. Failing to maintain a straight spine while sitting or spending excessive time in front of a phone/computer often leads to the head protruding slightly forward and downward, deepening cervical lordosis. The curvature of the cervical spine directly affects the jaw’s position, causing its retraction, bite problems, and increased jaw muscle tension.
Symptoms of Excessive Tensions in Jaw Muscles
- Pain around the face, head, temples, neck, and occiput
- Clenching or grinding of teeth
- Migraines
- Tinnitus or ear ringing
How to Diagnose Excessive Tensions in Jaw Muscles?
Diagnosis of excessive jaw muscle tension is possible through a thorough medical history, palpation of the jaw muscles, and posture assessment. Additionally, evaluations of bite function, temporomandibular joint mobility, and chewing muscle strength and tension are conducted. Other diagnostic techniques like panoramic radiography, electromyography, and ultrasonography are used to monitor muscle activity during various activities and assess the structure of the temporomandibular joints.
Dental Physiotherapy and Its Impact on Excessive Tensions
Dental physiotherapy plays a crucial role in treating excessive jaw muscle tensions. By applying appropriate rehabilitation techniques, it is possible to relieve muscle tension, restore proper temporomandibular joint function, and reduce pain and discomfort.
Effects of Bruxism and Excessive Chewing Muscle Tensions
Parafunctions of the jaw muscles can lead to a range of complications in the oral cavity and the entire body. The primary consequences of untreated excessive chewing muscle tensions are pathological tooth wear and fractures. These occur due to improper and overly strong contacts between opposing teeth. Cracks can also result from excessive teeth clenching caused by stress.
The Key Role of Dental Physiotherapy
Untreated parafunctions of the chewing system muscles can lead to the loss of natural tooth tissues and the destruction of restorations. Skipping the muscle stabilization step in comprehensive treatment reduces the prognosis of the performed restoration, regardless of the material used.
The team of specialists at Warsaw Dental Academy diagnoses each patient for abnormalities in the chewing system’s functioning. If present, the patient is appropriately directed to eliminate muscle parafunctions. Removing joint and muscle issues is a key point in every dental treatment performed by our doctors. Stabilizing the chewing muscles forms the basis for performing predictable and well-prognosed tooth restorations.
Trismus
Trismus is the partial or complete inability to open the mouth due to a reflex spasm of the temporomandibular joint muscles. Causes of trismus include:
- Pain
- Inflammatory conditions
- Injuries
- Tumors
- Complications after molar extractions
- Impacted wisdom teeth
In cases of trismus, physiotherapy is also indicated to relax the reflexively contracted muscles, reversing the condition and restoring normal chewing function.
Techniques Used in Chewing System Rehabilitation
Dental physiotherapy employs various rehabilitation techniques, such as:
- Manual therapy – relaxes the dental system muscles, mobilizes soft tissues inside and outside the mouth, performs temporomandibular joint traction, and aims for myofascial balance.
- Soft tissue massage – our physiotherapist uses knowledge and experience to perform soft tissue massages, causing their relaxation.
- Individual exercises performed by the patient at home to deepen rehabilitation effects.
- Kinesiotaping – taping specific body parts with special tapes that lift the skin and deepen the space between it and the muscles.
Dental Physiotherapy at Warsaw Dental Academy
Excessive tension in the jaw muscles can cause significant discomfort and limit patients’ quality of life. Dental physiotherapy effectively treats this condition, restoring comfort and proper jaw function. If you struggle with symptoms of excessive jaw muscle tension, we invite you to use our services at Warsaw Dental Academy. Our experienced team of dentists and physiotherapists will help you combat this problem and restore your pain-free smile.
