Dental physiotherapy restores normal tone and function to the structures of the head and neck. It supports the treatment given by dentists, orthodontists, prosthodontists and other specialists in the field.
TMJ physiotherapy deals effectively with
- increasing jaw pain around the ears when eating or opening the mouth wide
- restricted movement, or excessive movement, in the temporomandibular joint
- "joint clicking", that is, abnormal acoustic symptoms
- "jumping of the mandibular heads" - disturbed movement without acoustic symptoms
- myofascial pain in the head, face, neck and nape
- abnormal movement patterns, that is, parafunctions
- bruxism - involuntary clenching and grinding of the teeth at night, and constant, uncontrolled pressing of the teeth together during the day
- headaches and pain in the nape, back and ear
- hearing disturbances
- ringing in the ears
- bleeding gums
- pain and excessive tension of the sternocleidomastoid muscle
- masseter hypertrophy, that is, a so-called square jaw
- opening parafunctions - biting the lips and cheeks, habitual movements of the tongue, and nail biting
- asymmetry in the position of the head relative to the cervical spine, and further down to the shoulders and hips
- hypersensitivity in the mouth and a strong gag reflex
- preparation for orthodontic and prosthetic treatment
- therapy supports the management of hypothyroidism, as the temporomandibular joints have been observed to be always overly tense in this condition
Therapy
- A thorough history
- Palpation of the temporomandibular joints and the surrounding area - neck, shoulders, mobility of the upper cervical spine
- Examination of the muscles and tissues of the mouth and the tongue
- Manual therapy of the temporomandibular joints, head, neck, nape and chest
- Manual therapy of the muscles and joints inside the mouth
- Post-isometric relaxation of the masseter muscles
- Chinese cupping
- Mobilisation of the temporomandibular joint
- Manipulation of the temporomandibular joint, should it prove necessary
- Needling therapy