Pains of the jaw joints, head aches, neck pains, hearing impairment: these are just a few symptoms which can occur when the interaction of the head and body position which depends on the bite or the occlusion of the teeth, is continuously (chronically disturbed) in disharmony. Besides the socalled diseases caused by today´s lifestyle such as AIDS, heart and circulatory disorders and all kinds of allergies, one of the most devastating scourges of humanity is often overlooked: CHRONIC PAIN.
This is why the Institute for Temporo-Mandibular Regulation in Erlangen/Germany has developed an entirely new approach. While they do not apply the conventional principle of "normal“ and "abnormal“, they rather distinguish between "optimal“ and "suboptimal“, that is to say to examine the musculoskeletal stress of a person. A good approach is the consideration of the upright posture which includes the position of the mandible in a decisive way, whereby the maximum performance of a person is considered as "optimal“. The term Craniomandibular Dysfunction comes from "cranium“ (skull), "mandibula“ (lower jaw) and "dysfunction“ (malfunction). This means a malfunction between the upper and the lower jaws due to a funcional disorder of the teeth, the joints and the muscles of the jaw.
The consecuences:
- Pressing or grinding of the teeth
- Wedge-shaped defects, tooth ache or sensitive necks of the teeth
- Receding gums
- Off-set bite
- Difficulties to chew
- Loosening of teeth
- Drifting teeth
- Tooth abrasion
- Tooth interferes when closing the mouth
- Aching jaw joints
- Clicking or grinding noises of the jaw joints
- Trouble to open the mouth properly due to jaw pains
- Tenseness in the morning when waking up
- Burning or numb sensation on the toungue
- Head ache
- Stiffness of the neck
- Neck pains
- Facial pains
- Pressure on the skull
- Ear noises (tinnitus)
- Hearing impairment
- Ear pains
- Vertigo
- Oscillopsia
- Pain behind the eyes
- Double vision
- Light sensitivity
- Impaired vision
- Difficulties to swallow
- Lump in the throat
- Shoulder pains
- Numbness in arms and fingers
- Joint pains
- Back pains
- Insomnia
Who suffers from CMD?
New studies have proven that over 60% of the population show symptoms of craniomandibular dysfunction. Very few patients and doctors know that headaches can be caused by the masticatory musculature or that ear pains do not necessarily have their origin in the middle ear but can be caused by the jaw joints.