When it comes to back pain, many people look in the wrong places for the cause. Unhealthy posture or too little exercise are not always to blame. It can also be due to the teeth, when it pinches between the neck and tailbone. To mark Back Health Day, we explain the connection between teeth, jaw and spine.
Tooth loss has consequences for health
Every tooth in our mouth fulfills a function. Changes to our dentition therefore do not remain without effect for long. If a tooth falls out or is lost in an accident, this sets off a chain reaction.
Some consequences of tooth loss:
- Neighboring teeth can tip into the gap
- Jaw bone loses substance
- Opposing teeth grow out of the tooth bed
In the long run, the dentition no longer functions properly. In the worst case, a malocclusion develops because the upper and lower jaws no longer fit together exactly. The malfunction in the jaw can throw the statics of the entire body out of balance. Extreme tension, headaches and tinnitus are the consequences. Doctors summarize these symptoms under the term craniomandibular dysfunction (CMD).
Functional analysis at the Q-Zahnärzte
The tricky thing is that diagnosing CMD is often difficult because the pain in the back is not directly associated with the teeth and jaw. We have the experience and the network of specialists on our side to reliably help our patients.
More info: CMD therapy in Freiburg
Dr. Stefan Schultheis: "Frequently, severe teeth grinding is a reason for the malfunction in the jaw. When the rows of teeth are pressed together at night, extreme forces are at work. This is unhealthy strength training for the masticatory muscles, because grinding leads to tension in the long term. We find these changes in the jaw joint during a functional analysis in our practice."
Procedure of a CMD treatment in Freiburg
It is important that we learn as much as possible about your pain history. This way, we can make an accurate diagnosis during the functional analysis and ultimately provide reliable help.
Here's how we do it:
- Manual examination: We use our hands to feel for changes in the temporomandibular joint. This also includes checking the ability to move when opening the mouth.
- Checking the tooth situation: If crowns or fillings that are too high are to blame for the malocclusion, we grind in protruding margins. If a tooth is missing, we suggest solutions for closing the gap.
- Provide relief: If we find traces of severe teeth grinding, we protect the rows of teeth from the heavy load with a so-called occlusal splint. The splint is made individually in our dental laboratory.
- Additional physiotherapy: In addition to treatment in our practice, physiotherapy is often useful to relieve extreme tension.
- Regular check-up: At further check-up appointments, we check whether the therapy is successful and adjust the treatment as needed.
Arrange an appointment to get to know each other
It is important that we learn as much as possible about your pain history. This way, we can make an accurate diagnosis during the functional analysis and ultimately provide reliable help.
Here's how we do it:
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