Wisdom teeth removal is common, but complex operation. The difficulty of carrying out is explained by the structure of the eights and their remote location. Side effects can occur even if medical recommendations are strictly followed. Among possible complications- swelling, high temperature. Patients also often complain that it is difficult and painful to open their mouth after removal. Is this phenomenon dangerous? Mouth won't open

Features of wisdom tooth removal

The procedure depends on how the figure eight is located in the bone. If the position and growth are normal, anesthesia is first performed, then the circular ligament is detached, then the doctor applies forceps and performs gentle rocking movements.

After the tooth is unbalanced, traction is carefully performed - extraction. Final manipulations - disinfection, creating a clot for regeneration, adding medicine (if necessary). If semi-retention or retention of a tooth is observed, its removal is complicated.

Complex removal of figure eights involves cutting soft tissues, drilling out the remains of the tooth and root, and suturing the gums. After such an intervention, the recovery period takes a long period of time, and the risk of complications is high.

Why does the jaw not open after removing the figure eight?

Immediately after removal or after a few hours, the place where the wisdom tooth was previously located swells. In some patients this process is very intense. This causes pain when opening the mouth. A condition in which it is difficult or impossible to open the mouth is called trismus or tonic muscle spasm in dentistry.


Wisdom tooth removal

Trismus is usually not a pathology. This is a normal post-operative phenomenon, which does not require specific treatment. The mechanism of trismus is associated with tissue damage oral cavity, with muscle tension (if the patient keeps his mouth open for a long time). Also, during removal, blood vessels and nerves are affected, swelling and pain occur - this causes difficulty opening the mouth.

This condition goes away on its own after 1-3 weeks. To speed up, it is allowed to carry out special gymnastics.

In what cases is it difficult to open the mouth due to serious and dangerous complications of removal?

  • Another tooth is affected by periodontitis or chronic latent pulpitis. Such inflammation could be asymptomatic and worsen after removal of the figure eight.
  • The roots of adjacent teeth are intertwined and closely spaced. When wisdom teeth were removed, they were injured and acute pulpitis developed.
  • The facial muscles that are involved in the chewing process are inflamed.
  • Damage temporomandibular joint.
  • A number of dentist mistakes include insufficient pain relief, incorrect application of the instrument, disturbances in rocking, and forceful removal of the tooth.

How can I solve the problem?

If, after the figure eight removal procedure, you experience difficulty opening your mouth, a second consultation with your dentist is necessary. The specialist will accurately determine the cause and prescribe measures to eliminate the problem. To alleviate the condition, you may need to re-clean the socket, physiotherapy, take antibiotics or special exercises.

Re-cleaning the hole


Hole after wisdom tooth removal

A socket is an open cavity that remains after molars are removed. Repeated cleaning may be necessary if there is a dry socket, the area does not heal, or becomes inflamed, which causes difficulty opening the mouth. During repeated cleaning, the dentist performs a number of manipulations:

  • checks whether roots remain inside;
  • treats with antibacterial drugs;
  • closes the hole with a sterile swab.

If there are roots left inside, they must be removed immediately, as they may begin to rot. For removal, dentists use tweezers or a scalpel to cut through the gums. Then a repeat x-ray is prescribed to determine the cleanliness of the hole. A clean hole heals after 2 weeks.

Physiotherapy

Ultraviolet (UVR)

Irradiation of the well with a spectrum of rays. Start with 2 and end with 6 biodoses. The course of treatment is 4-6 treatments.

Result:

  1. Reducing the virulence of bacteria.
  2. Activation of regeneration processes.
  3. Anti-inflammatory effect.

Fluctuarization

It is carried out in conjunction with the Ural Federal District. The well is exposed to the first form of current. Drug electrophoresis anesthetics (usually Trimecaine). The session lasts 20 minutes, the number of repetitions is 6. Reduces pain and relieves swelling.

Laser therapy

Infrared exposure in the oral cavity for 1-2 minutes. Course – 2-3 repetitions. Reduces inflammation, reduces swelling and tissue hyperemia.


Physiotherapy

Magnetotherapy

Impact magnetic field. Course – 20 procedures. The duration of one is 25 minutes. Relieves severe pain.

Antibiotics

Medicines in this group are prescribed only in the presence of an infectious-inflammatory process at the site of wisdom tooth extraction. Antibiotics are also indicated if at the time of the procedure the patient had an abscess, gumboil, or periodontitis. Medicines will also help eliminate complications after the intervention. Dentists prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics:

  • Amoxiclav;
  • Vilprafen;
  • Lincomycin;
  • Neomecin;
  • Olethetrin.

Lincomycin

Other actions

If trismus is caused by a normal reaction of the body, it is recommended to develop and restore jaw mobility. Before performing such gymnastics, consultation with a dentist is required. Throughout the day, you need to carefully open and close your mouth, more and more each time.

You can chew gum, but not very intensely. Trismus can develop only with mild painful sensations. You can combine exercises with rinsing your mouth with herbal solutions.

It is possible to unclench and develop the jaws only when trismus is a normal phenomenon and is not accompanied by acute pain. Making efforts, applying force, or stretching the jaws is prohibited.

It is important for the patient to remember that on the first day after the procedure, solid food and stress on the jaw are prohibited. At this time, a light diet (soups, cereals, jelly) is recommended. You can return to a normal diet and work your jaw intensively only from 6-7 days after removal. Also, on the day of removal, you should not brush your teeth.

Immediately after removal, hot drinks, visiting baths and saunas are prohibited - pathogenic microflora in the hole will begin to actively multiply or bleeding will begin. Physical activity or drinking alcohol can also cause bleeding.

First 2 days Do not rinse your mouth, since the removal site should be delayed. When the hole dries, you can make baths with chamomile, sage, baking soda– take the infusion into your mouth and hold it on the sore side, do not rinse.

After removing the figure eight, the patient should be prepared for some possible side effects. IN recovery period It is important to monitor your condition and contact your dentist if suspicious symptoms appear. If it is difficult to open your mouth after removal, you first need to find out the reason, and then take measures to eliminate the problem.

Pain when opening the mouth is quite common and unpleasant symptom. This can be either a temporary, passing phenomenon or a signal of a dangerous pathology. To find out what to do if it hurts to open your mouth, you need to pay attention to a number of accompanying symptoms.

Reason: wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth, or “eights,” are the outermost teeth in the jaw row. They cut their teeth between the ages of 16 and 25, when the replacement of permanent teeth has already ended. Not all people have “Eights” - some do not have them or are not present in full.

Why does it hurt to open your mouth?

The intensity of pain depends on the characteristics of tooth eruption and individual pain threshold

In this case, it's all about the location of the wisdom teeth.

They are located on the edge of the jaw arch in the cheekbone area, the distance between them and the temporomandibular joint is minimal.

In addition, the rudiments of the “eights” are usually located in the gum deeper than the others, so their eruption is much more painful than the appearance of other teeth, causing swelling of the gum mucosa, which can spread to soft fabrics around the joint.

Nature of pain and accompanying symptoms

The pain in such situations is constant, it intensifies when you try to open your mouth completely, while talking, chewing, and it hurts to yawn.

The intensity of the pain depends on the characteristics of tooth eruption and the individual pain threshold - from mild discomfort to serious pain that prevents you from falling asleep.

In addition, the gums swell, the submandibular lymph nodes enlarge, and the temperature may rise. In some cases, the mouth practically does not open.

How to relieve the condition

Can be used to relieve pain medical supplies– ointments Kamistad, Kalgel. To relieve inflammation and swelling, the oral cavity is rinsed with solutions of antiseptics, painkillers and medicinal herbs.

A cold compress may also improve the condition. It is acceptable to take painkillers. If noticeable improvement cannot be achieved within 3-4 days, you need to go to the dentist.

Injuries

Injuries lower jaw and her joint occur quite often and rarely go away without consequences. This is due to the fact that it is quite difficult to fix the lower jaw during a fracture or dislocation, and bruises are often left without treatment at all. As a result, the healing of the lower jaw occurs incorrectly.

Why does it hurt to open your mouth?

When the lower jaw is damaged, the mobility of the temporomandibular joint is impaired

When the lower jaw is damaged, the mobility of the temporomandibular joint is impaired.

In addition, all the muscles that move the lower jaw involve this particular joint, causing sharp pain in it.

The nature of the sensations and accompanying symptoms

The pain is constant, intensifying when opening the mouth, talking, chewing. Associated symptoms include severe swelling of the soft tissues, changes in the shape or position of the jaw, and pathological mobility.

Treatment methods

For treatment, the patient needs to go to the department of maxillofacial surgery.

After diagnostic procedures that make it possible to determine the type of lesion, a surgical procedure is performed to restore the normal position of the jaw. After this, a long recovery period is required.

Dental pathologies

Inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, wisdom teeth caries, and pulpitis can make it painful to open your mouth. Not every dental pathology manifests itself with such symptoms.

Today there are many various techniques that allow you to cope with caries, pulpitis and stomatitis

The pain is due to the fact that inflammatory process soft tissues located near the temporomandibular joint on the left or right are involved.

For example, with inflammation of the hood of a wisdom tooth or pulpitis in the molars (back teeth, designated numbers 6 and 7 in dental practice).

The main localization of pain is the affected tooth or mucous membrane; when opening the mouth, talking and eating, the discomfort spreads to the lower jaw joint. Occurs frequently bad smell from the mouth.

Treatment methods

Sick teeth should be treated in a dental office. Today, there are many different techniques to cope with caries, pulpitis and stomatitis. Most often, they resort to removing the affected part of the tooth and placing a filling.

Neoplasms

Malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity are deadly, but often their early manifestations seem harmless.

Why does it hurt to open your mouth?

Malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity are deadly, but often their early manifestations seem harmless

Pain is associated with damage to the soft tissues located next to the temporomandibular joint on the right and left sides, their partial destruction.

Damage to the joint itself is also possible.

The pain is increasing and constant; in the last stages of the disease the patient cannot sleep.

There is bad breath, ulcers on the mucous membranes, tooth loss, problems with diction and voice.

Treatment methods

For treatment malignant tumors chemotherapy is used radiation treatment. Carrying out a full operation with removal of damaged tissue is impossible due to large quantity vital structures - blood vessels, nerves.

Vascular damage

Pathological processes in the vessels can lead to disruption of the blood supply to the jaw joint. In this case, the patient not only experiences pain when opening the mouth, but also experiences disturbances in its mobility.

Cause of pain

Pain occurs due to impaired blood supply to the muscles of the lower jaw, as well as due to inflammatory processes in the vessels themselves

Pain occurs due to impaired blood supply to the muscles of the lower jaw, as well as due to inflammatory processes in the vessels themselves.

Nature of pain and accompanying symptoms

The pain can be burning (arteritis), pulling, pressing, squeezing.

It can spread not only to the joint and jaw, but also to neighboring areas - the ear, the wings of the nose, the cheek. Concomitant symptoms include impaired mouth opening.

Treatment methods

Depends on the specific pathology of the vessel. Various therapeutic measures– use of anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, and, if necessary, surgery on the vessels of the lower jaw.

Neurological pathologies

Neurogenic pain, i.e. sensations caused by pathologies of the facial or trigeminal nerve, often occur after hypothermia, head and face injuries. Always accompanied nearby additional symptoms, which allows you to determine nerve damage.

Why does it hurt to open your mouth?

Opening the mouth is accompanied by pain because the affected nerve is irritated.

The nature of the sensations and accompanying symptoms

The pain can be completely different in nature.

Associated symptoms depend on which nerve is affected - pain in neighboring areas of the face, dry mouth, impaired facial expressions, cough, sore throat, swallowing problems, sore throat, inability to chew, impaired diction.

Treatment methods

Joint pathologies

Pathologies of the joint not associated with injury - arthritis, dysfunction and others - cause disruption of the basic mechanisms of its operation, so the process of opening and closing the mouth becomes painful.

The occurrence of painful sensations

The pain is associated with damage to the joint, and with movement it intensifies due to an increase in the load on the joint. If there is an inflammatory process, then it also contributes to the formation of discomfort.

Nature of pain and accompanying symptoms

The pain is constant and intensifies when opening the mouth, chewing, talking, or pressing on a joint. It can radiate to the teeth on both jaws, ear, cheeks, head and throughout the face. Local swelling is possible.

Treatment methods

Depending on the causes of the pathology, anti-inflammatory and painkillers are used, and sometimes surgery is necessary. If necessary, joint replacement is possible.


Dislocation of the lower jaw

Inflammation

The inflammatory process (furuncle, osteomyelitis, abscess, phlegmon, etc.) on the skin of the lower jaw, oral mucosa, soft tissues of the cheek can involve the joint and masticatory muscles. Such conditions require urgent intervention.

Causes of pain

Impaired mouth opening is associated with the involvement of the joint, muscles or nerves that allow the mouth to open. Another reason is that when the joint moves, the position of the inflamed tissues changes.

The nature of the sensations and accompanying symptoms

The pain is constant, sharp, tugging. Associated symptoms include fever, swelling of the face on the affected side, enlarged lymph nodes under the jaw and on the neck, and decreased jaw mobility.

If there is inflammation under the skin, then skin becomes hot, thins out. A boil on the face (more common in men) is clearly visible.

Treatment methods

Purulent inflammatory processes are treated surgically. The doctor opens the affected area, washes it with antibiotics, and leaves a drainage to drain the pus. The patient is prescribed a course of antibiotics, regular dressings, and rinsing. postoperative wound antiseptic solutions.

Other Possible Causes

In addition to those listed above, there are other reasons that can cause pain in the jaw and when opening the mouth.

These diseases are not related to the jaw apparatus:

Disease Cause of pain Associated symptoms Treatment
TetanusNerve damageCramps, opisthotonus, muscle pain throughout the bodyAntibacterial therapy, hyperbaric oxygenation
CarotidydyniaDefeat carotid artery Face pain headache occurring in fits and startsIndividual
Red ear syndromeImpaired blood supply - dilation of blood vessels in the ear areaPain in the ear, jaw, teeth, half of the face. Redness of the earIndividual. In rare cases - surgery
Disorders of calcium and phosphorus metabolismPathologies of bone structure, osteoporosisBone pain, deformed or brittle bones, muscle twitching and weaknessCalcium and phosphorus preparations, enzyme agents to improve absorption
AnginaIrradiation of pain from the tonsils, or swelling of the tonsilsRedness of the throat, enlarged tonsils, cough, painful to swallowAntibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs
OtitisRadiation of painEar pain and congestion, hearing lossAntibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antiseptic ear drops

Diagnostics

In order to put accurate diagnosis, you may need to go through several specialists.

Additional symptoms can tell you which doctor will help:

A detailed examination is required to determine the cause. profile specialist, if there is discharge - its analysis, as well as radiography of the jaws, general and biochemical tests blood.

These examinations will tell you what additional measures must be taken to determine the cause of the illness.

Pain when opening a child's mouth

The peculiarity of pain in children is that the child can rarely describe the symptom in detail, as well as assess its severity. In addition, children often tend to hide from adults if they are in pain, especially if they are afraid of doctors.

Parents should pay attention to the following features:

  • The child began to speak slurredly and reluctantly;
  • It is painful or impossible to open your mouth wide;
  • Does not eat well, tries to avoid chewing food;
  • Swelling on one side is noticeable on the face;
  • The baby holds on to the ear or jaw and constantly touches them.

These signs can indirectly tell parents that the baby has a sore jaw.

Movements of the jaw left and right, up and down allow a person to chew food, talk, and reproduce certain sounds. Together with temporal bones The lower jaw forms the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) - it is disruptions in its functions that lead to the jaw becoming jammed. It happens that TMJ dysfunction causes the inability to open and close the mouth.

Why is there a problem?

The “culprit” for the jammed jaw is the TMJ. This formation, from an anatomical point of view, is problematic - with significant mobility, its individual elements (pits, processes, articular cavity) do not correspond to each other in size. It is this structure of the joint that ensures the ability to move the lower jaw to the right and left to carry out full chewing movements.

Important! According to medical statistics, at least 70% of the world's population experience malfunctions of the TMJ.

The reasons that the jaw does not open completely can be varied:

  • malocclusion;
  • dental treatment performed (for example, wisdom tooth removal);
  • prosthetics;
  • bruxism and the accompanying rapid wear of tooth enamel;
  • the jaw also jams after injuries to the face, neck, or when eating hard, rough food;
  • Often the problem becomes a consequence of an anomaly in the structure of the dentition.

Specific anatomy increases the risk of arthrosis and arthritis. dislocations, dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint

There is also a myogenic theory of TMJ dysfunction - its supporters explain the inability to open the mouth wide with spasms of the facial muscles. Thus, the causes of the anomaly are hypertonicity of the chewing and facial muscles, increased speech load (in people of public professions). Some doctors associate malfunctions in the TMJ with psychogenic factors - disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system. Emotional stress caused by frequent stress also affects the functions of this joint.

TMJ dysfunction also has a hereditary basis, if from birth the sizes of the heads and articular fossae do not match. It happens that the cause of a jammed jaw is a dislocation of the TMJ. You can get such an injury when chewing hard food or opening your mouth wide while yawning, or using a mouth opener in the dental office.

Dislocation of the TMJ can be caused by:

  • injuries to the jaw and teeth;
  • habit of opening bottles with teeth;
  • shallow fossa, weak ligaments and other anatomical features of the joint.

Important! TMJ dislocations can be unilateral or bilateral.

In what cases is a doctor needed?

It is not difficult to “recognize” disturbances in the functioning of the temporomandibular joint. They “make themselves known” with pain in the jaw, head, ears, and neck. Discomfort may appear in the area of ​​so-called trigger points on the cheekbones, temples, and cheeks. Sometimes TMJ dysfunction is accompanied by toothache, feeling of squeezing in eyeballs. Difficulty opening the mouth is a classic manifestation of the problem. Sometimes the jaw jams completely; in order to move it, a person has to search for a long time for a suitable position of the head.


The inability to open your mouth wide, pain in the neck, temporal region, eyeballs, crunching in the joints when chewing or speaking are classic signs of TMJ dysfunction

An early “signal” of TMJ dysfunction is a characteristic clicking sound in the joint when opening the mouth. Additional signs:

  • insomnia;
  • increased irritability or apathy;
  • weakness, malaise;
  • xerotomia (dry mouth);
  • noise, ringing in the ears;
  • night snoring;
  • characteristic muscle pain;
  • decreased vision;
  • twitching of the eye muscles.

Classic symptoms of TMJ dislocation are: difficulty speaking, chewing, dysphagia, excessive drooling, pain in the joint or joints. The lower jaw visually looks slanted, shifted to the side, and the face becomes asymmetrical. The habit of chewing hard objects or opening bottles with your teeth can sooner or later result in a dislocation of the temporomandibular joint.

First aid

The joint can jam spontaneously, for example, after a strong cry or prolonged chewing of solid food. It is important to know what you can do on your own to alleviate the condition before going to the doctor. So, a warm compress or a heating pad is applied to the sore joint, and then, on the contrary, ice or a cold towel. Such contrast procedures must be repeated once an hour.

To cope with pain syndrome, take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Analgin, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol). If indicated, local muscle relaxants are used (creams, ointments that relax muscles and relieve spasms).

Medical measures

Effective professional treatment for TMJ dysfunction requires eliminating the root cause of the problem. Thus, patients are advised to wear special orthopedic splints to normalize the functioning of the joint; drug therapy to relieve symptoms of inflammation, in severe cases - surgical intervention to regenerate individual areas bone tissue. Mandatory component complex treatment TMJ dysfunction is physiotherapy.


With various disorders of the TMJ, the face becomes puffy, asymmetrical, the lower jaw can be pushed forward or to the side

First of all, it is gentle speech mode, refusal of solid foods that are difficult to chew, normalization of the daily routine. It is useful to do special gymnastics for the facial muscles, it is recommended to avoid stress, and promptly treat systemic and local dental diseases of an infectious-inflammatory nature. What to do if your jaw is jammed due to dislocation: consult a doctor (oral and maxillofacial surgeon, dentist). The specialist will straighten the joint without anesthesia in case of unilateral injury and under anesthesia in case of bilateral injury.

During medical procedures, the doctor returns the head of the joint to the fossa. So, jamming of the jaw can be associated with “local” injuries, increased load during chewing, diction and other factors causing TMJ dysfunction. If such a problem arises, you must immediately seek help from a doctor (orthopedic dentist, maxillofacial surgeon) for diagnosis and selection of a treatment strategy.

Pain in the jaw when opening the mouth can be caused by both dental and many other diseases and malfunctions in the body. Depending on the location of the discomfort and its nature, the doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment. Therefore, if discomfort occurs, you need to go to an appointment with a therapist, who will analyze the situation and refer you to a suitable specialist.

If you want to know why your jaw hurts when you open your mouth, read on. Let's look at all the main reasons and ways to eliminate them.

The most popular reason. Pain may be associated with mechanical injury. The most common type of injury is a bruise. With it, only soft tissues are affected, the bones remain intact.

On the face, in the place where the injury occurred, swelling and hematoma occur. Often, a bruise is characterized by severe pain, which interferes with chewing food and normal diction when speaking.

Usually the swelling and hematoma go away within a week, but if the bruise site continues to hurt, you need to take an x-ray to rule out the possibility of a bone fracture.

A fracture can result from a blow or bruise to the jaw. This is a serious injury accompanied by severe pain. Swelling appears at the site of the injury, and a bruise forms a little later. If there is a strong blow with a fracture of the lower jaw, then it is very painful for the person to open his mouth, he can neither open nor close it.

At a fracture upper jaw a hematoma may appear under the eye. If the damage is very severe, blood or yellowish fluid may come out of the ears.

Dmitry Sidorov

Orthopedic dentist

In these cases, an urgent x-ray and examination by a surgeon are necessary. Treatment can only be surgical; in serious cases, hospitalization of the patient is necessary.

Also to mechanical injuries refers to dislocation of the lower jaw. The risk of such injury is especially high in people with joint problems. The pain during a dislocation is always very strong, even unbearable; in some situations, loss of consciousness from painful shock is possible. In this case, the jaw is in an unnatural position, the patient cannot close his mouth and talk: it is either pushed forward or skewed to the side. To treat the joint, the surgeon first adjusts the joint, and then the patient is given an x-ray to determine whether or not a bone fracture is present.

Dental pathologies

Pain in the jaw when chewing can be caused by a number of dental pathologies:

  1. These can be severe carious problems that destroy teeth. In their place, cavities appear into which infection or food can enter, constantly irritating the exposed nerve endings.
  2. Perhaps this is pulpitis, which also destroys tooth tissue and irritates nerve endings.
  3. When inflammation of the periodontal tissues occurs.
  4. Complications after pulpitis and caries - inflammation of bone tissue, osteomyelitis.
  5. Tooth injuries – dislocations, splits, fractures of the tooth neck.
  6. Pain in the oral cavity can occur with gingivitis - the gums become inflamed and swollen. Pain is caused by food that irritates the diseased mucous membrane.
  7. After a tooth is removed, its socket may become inflamed. At the same time, it turns red, swells and causes discomfort when chewing food.

Caries Pulpitis Periodontitis Tooth luxation Gingivitis Inflammation of the tooth socket

In the case when pain in jaw joint associated with dental problems, most discomfort occur during sleep. Patients characterize them as pulsating, sharp, aching. They are also aggravated by eating too hot or cold food or drinks, by vigorous chewing, and by clenching the jaw.

Dmitry Sidorov

Orthopedic dentist

Many dental pathologies can lead to the formation of a purulent process. Most often it is provoked bacterial infections, much less often the cause is the development of viruses or fungi.

Due to penetration into a wound or through a hair follicle, the infection can develop into a boil. Over time, the inflammatory process moves to soft tissues located deeper, and a purulent focus forms there. This type of inflammation prevents the patient from opening the jaw when chewing and speaking.

Osteomyelitis – quite serious illness, which requires urgent treatment, because the inflammatory process affects not only soft tissues, but also bones; in severe cases, even bone marrow. The cause of this disease is an infection that can penetrate both from the external environment and from areas damaged by caries or. It is rare, but it happens that the infection is acquired through the bloodstream. Symptoms of osteomyelitis are pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, asymmetric swelling of the face, and headache may appear.

Cellulitis and abscess are characterized by the formation of pus, tissue swelling and severe pain. These diseases require immediate medical care. The difference is that with phlegmon the purulent process is open, and with an abscess it is closed. The patient has a high temperature, headache and jaw pain. The swallowing process is difficult, and it is very difficult to open the jaw.

A complication of these ailments may be the spread of inflammation to new areas and tissue necrosis, which are a threat to the patient’s life.

Neurological pain

Unbearable pain in the jaw occurs with neurological pathologies of its lower part. Particularly strong discomfort occurs with trigeminal neuralgia. At the same time, the pain is sharp, worsening at night, and, as a rule, its character is one-sided.

Severe pain when chewing and opening the mouth can be caused by problems with the superior laryngeal nerve; sometimes such pain radiates to the chest. Inflammation of the glossopharyngeal nerve is rare, but still occurs.

Dmitry Sidorov

Orthopedic dentist

For neurological pain, painkillers and drugs to relieve the inflammatory process are prescribed. In some particularly severe cases, surgical intervention is prescribed.

Neoplasms and vascular lesions

Adamantinoma

Jaw pain can be a symptom of cancer. In the early stages of the disease, symptoms are not pronounced. In this regard, patients mainly turn to doctors at later stages of the disease. If we talk about benign formations, then it can be osteoma, adamantinoma and osteoblastoclastoma. Malignant tumors include sarcoma, a tumor that affects connective tissue; cancer develops in epithelial tissue; and osteogenic sarcomas affect bones.

Malignant tumors in the upper jaw are not common; tumors in the lower jaw are more common. They grow quickly and metastasize to other organs.

If the facial artery becomes inflamed, burning pain occurs that spreads all the way to the chin or nose. It happens that the pain even radiates into the eye socket. Pathological processes in the carotid artery often provoke migraines, which affect half the face, teeth and radiate to the auricle.

Wisdom teeth

Often the jaw hurts while... The pain is aching and sharply intensifies when you open your mouth. In this case, all that remains is to wait for the process to complete and use household painkillers. If discomfort prevents you from sleeping at night and continues for several days, you need to go to the dentist. He will make a small incision in the gum to make it easier for the tooth to grow. As a rule, after such a procedure the patient immediately feels much better. If a wisdom tooth has grown into the gum, it is better to remove it.

Arthrosis is a disease of older people; pain with arthrosis increases with exercise, and becomes weaker at rest. These diseases can be identified by taking an x-ray. If treatment is started on time, then it is quite possible to avoid complications, immobilization of the jaw.

With pathology of the temporomandibular joint, pain is felt not only in the joint, but also in the cheek, temple, and can radiate to the forehead. When you chew, the pain intensifies, and a characteristic click is heard when you move your jaw. There are many reasons for this phenomenon – from the banal malocclusion to serious illness– osteoarthritis of the joint. In this regard, self-diagnosis and self-medication are strictly not recommended; consultation with a doctor is necessary.

Treatment methods

Treatment should be aimed at eliminating the cause that caused the pathology. Bruises are treated with compresses; in case of dislocations, a specialist has them realigned so that the bones can heal; if the fracture is immobilized, if the fracture is a fragment, then surgery is needed. Purulent inflammation They are treated with antibiotics, the abscesses are opened and after that antibiotics are also prescribed. Dental problems require treatment or tooth extraction.

There are a huge number of reasons why the jaw hurts when opening the mouth, and each of them has its own treatment tactics. Therefore, when pain It is imperative to consult a doctor and treat the cause, not the effect. Many of the listed diseases require immediate medical attention; you should not numb your jaw with medications and delay a visit to the doctor, this can be fraught with health, and in some cases even life.

03.09.2014, 19:57

Hello, dear doctors!

I am 22 years old, no children, no injuries, moderate stress.
My problem first arose in the winter of 2013, then at some point I realized that I could not open my mouth not only to the maximum, but to more than 1 finger. But this symptom went away after 5 minutes, and I happily forgot about this incident. I remembered about it in the spring of 2014, when my mouth became jammed for more than 3 hours. I went to the emergency room at my place of residence, where they refused to consult me, explaining that since there was no injury, it was not their place. I went to the dentist - they also refused, and they sent me to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. I am not accepted under insurance; all appointments are paid.
In this connection, I am turning to you for independent advice - who should I go to and what expectations should I have:
Previously, the symptoms lasted no more than 3 hours - if the jaw “wedged” in the evening, in the morning, as a rule, everything went away.
Now for a week I can’t open my mouth normally—maximum 2 fingers, while my jaw moves to the right side.
Please tell me what this could be, what I should mentally prepare for and what budget I should expect.
Thank you!

05.09.2014, 08:03

If there was a referral to maxillofacial surgery, you need to go for a consultation without insurance. What budget should you calculate, what kind of diagnosis is it without seeing you. pointless.

05.09.2014, 10:21

To get a referral for maxillofacial surgery, yesterday I went to see a dental surgeon at a commercial clinic. He said it’s not a dislocation; when it’s dislocated, the jaw doesn’t CLOSED, not the jaw that doesn’t open. He wrote me a diagnosis: “Dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. Pain syndrome. Limitation of mouth opening.”
He says it’s probably due to the fact that my teeth don’t fit together properly, and that’s why I tired my joint to the point of exhaustion, and now there’s an inflammatory process there, etc.
He says I need to put my teeth back in place.
But he doesn’t know how to treat it and sends me to the maxillofacial surgeon.

Should I believe him? on vnchs.com they write that dislocation is also when the mouth does not open.

He said that the problem is already old...

I have a question for you about the following (while they are looking for a maxillofacial fracture for me): Is one MRI enough?
Or do TRG/OPTG? What more accurately diagnoses the problem?

Thank you!

05.09.2014, 10:31

if a problem with the TMJ is suspected, then of course an MRI, and if gnathologists or orthodontists need it, then ortho, trg and casts.

07.09.2014, 18:30

If the mouth is closed and does not open, the disc has already fallen out. You don't have much time to find a doctor and try to place him in the wrong place. Without seeing a photo of the teeth and face (especially the profile), it’s generally difficult to say about the reasons.

07.09.2014, 18:32

Information is needed to answer your question.
1. Orthopantomogram (panoramic image) and lateral panoramic image (side view of the skull)
2. Photo of a smile
3. Photo with closed teeth (close all teeth) in front, right and left. In the photo on the right and left, teeth from the central incisor to the sixth should be visible.
4. Photo of the face from the front and profile. Conditions: teeth tightly clenched as always (without pushing forward), lips as relaxed as possible, head and neck also relaxed, look STRAIGHT in front of you in the mirror or infinity.

09.09.2014, 12:32

Dear Fors,

A little time - how much? month? two?
What happens if you don’t have time to put it in place? Please, I beg you, do not give me vague formulations, but tell me what exactly this threatens me with. I'm very worried.

I made an appointment for an MRI on Thursday with Professor Rieden.
Tell me, will an MRI image be more or less informative than an orthopantomogram and lateral trg? If it is less, then tell me where is the best place for me to do the above diagnostic procedures?

I will take photos and attach them along with the results.
Please answer the first part of my message in clear words.
I'm very worried. I have spent my entire life being treated for unknown, poorly diagnosed and treatable diseases. I don’t want to repeat previous mistakes and want to collect as much information as possible before carrying out specific manipulations with my joints, bones, teeth, etc.

Thank you very much for your response, help and information!

Sincerely,
Nastya

09.09.2014, 13:01

In the absence of pictures, I am attaching photographs. Maybe, taking into account your professionalism, you will be able to say something about them, in any case, I really hope so:

2) Photo of a smile
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3) With closed teeth

Front
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-Left
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-Right
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4) In front
-Left
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-Right
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I also demonstrate how much the mouth opens
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(I tried my best)

If you open it in a relaxed state, it slides to the side and looks something like this:

Please comment if you can.

09.09.2014, 23:05

An MRI can be used to assess the position of the discs and their quality, but it would be good to do a 3D CT at the same time to understand the true prerequisites. I think the reason is the removed teeth and the forced “retracted” position of the lower jaw.

14.09.2014, 19:33

I did an MRI and CBCT.
Please check your private messages.

Thank you!

29.09.2014, 02:35

Judging by the photographs, we are talking about a right-sided subluxation of the articular disc. It has shifted anteriorly from the head of the lower jaw and is causing your symptoms. Your posture is also important (your head is very forward) i.e. we may be talking about a posterior shift of the lower jaw. Possible causes are chronic stress, a car accident in the last 1-2 years, etc. Although now it is more important to return the disk to its place. Here you need the help of a neuromuscular dentist and osteopath.

01.10.2014, 18:16

Why does a patient need a neuromuscular dentist, much less an osteopath? what indications? Or should I just send it to you?

07.10.2014, 14:04

garmoniyaprikus, thank you for your feedback.

There were no car accidents.
Stress - I don't think it's more than the average person. We cannot live in a vacuum.