Jaw misalignment can affect the quality of how you eat, talk, sleep, and breathe. That is why it is necessary to treat this condition before it leads to other serious problems. The treatment may depend on the state of your uneven bite. Visiting your dentist is one of the possible ways to correct a misaligned bite.
Understanding Jaw Misalignment
Proper jaw alignment is essential for your mouth’s long-term health. If you have a misaligned jaw or bite, known as a malocclusion, this can contribute to several issues.
Jaw misalignment may lead to:
- Pain
- Sleep apnea
- Trouble chewing or speaking
- Cosmetic problems
- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)
- The increased danger in dental issues
Usually, a dentist can treat misaligned teeth with orthodontic interventions such as braces. On the other hand, jaw misalignment has various treatment options. A misaligned jaw can lead to your upper or lower row of teeth mismatch when biting down, in either an overbite, underbite, or overjet.
The treatment for a misaligned jaw will rely upon its seriousness and cause, alongside your medical history and cosmetic issues. In some cases, no treatment is necessary at all if your side effects are gentle or absent.
Symptoms of Jaw Misalignment
Signs and symptoms of the misaligned jaw are frequently comparable to those of other conditions. These include:
- tight jaw
- pain in the temple
- clicking jaw
- pain in the jaw joint part
- popping in ear
- pain in the shoulder or back
Causes and Treatments
It requires tendons, muscles, and bones to work together for the jaw to function well. An unevenness in any of these constructions can lead to the whole jaw becoming uneven.
There are numerous causes why your jaw might be uneven, including:
Injury or Broken Jaw
Injury can happen during an accident, assault, fall, or sports-related trauma. This condition can cause your jaw to be fractured, broken, or dislocated.
Usually, a minor crack will heal all alone. Significant damage in the jaw could require a surgical procedure to help the jaw recover properly. A doctor should carefully balance out a dislocated jaw.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ)
Another reason for jaw misalignment is TMJ disorder. This condition is very common that may result in injury or arthritis to the jaw joints. Most of the time, the symptoms can happen without an apparent cause, though.
You can treat a temporomandibular joint disorder by doing the following:
- Take over-the-counter medicine, for example, ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
- Apply ice to your jaw to lessen inflammation and pain
- Try to stay away from vigorous jaw movements.
- Use an orthopedic dental device to improve your bite and reposition the jaw.
- Do the TMJ exercises to diminish discomfort and improve your jaw’s development.
- Manage and diminish stress to help loosen up your jaw.
Birth Defects
Problems in the jaw can exist when the time you were born. For instance, you may have an ordinarily misaligned or crooked jaw. This condition is likewise known as faulty jaw. The ideal treatment options for a faulty jaw are a surgical procedure or can be managed with solid consideration and lifestyle changes.
Teeth Alignment
A misaligned jaw might be because of teeth misalignment. The condition of your teeth may not allow your jaw to take place in its right positions. Orthodontic treatment such as braces and retainers can help treat this problem.
Other Treatment Options
The suitable orthodontic treatment for your jaw misalignment varies based on its condition and severity. To help correct misaligned jaw, your dentist may suggest the following treatment options.
- Braces: To adjust your bite through pressure over time in the method of brackets attached to your teeth and bonded to archwires
- Headgear braces: This device will adjust your jaw with braces that are accompanied by ties secure outside of the mouth around your head
- Upper jaw expander: To correct overbite with a wireframe appliance that suits across the palate of your mouth and expands it
- Reverse pull face mask: To correct underbite with braces secure to your upper back teeth accompanied by straps secure outside of the mouth around your head.
Ultimately, remember that only your dentist knows your definite medical history and need. Hence, it would be best to adhere to their suggestion and insight for orthodontic treatment.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic treatment options might be a suitable counterpart for your concerns if your misalignment symptoms are minor. Though changing the presence of your teeth will not solve the underlying jaw misalignment, it can help you feel good about your smile.
Surgical Procedures
At times, correcting your jaw misalignment requires a medical procedure. The sort of surgery chosen will rely upon the underlying reason for your misaligned jaw. Your physician may opt:
Maxillary osteotomy: The doctors or surgeons will do the surgery on the upper jaw to address open bites or crossbites. They will move the upper teeth and jaw forward to line up with the bottom teeth and jaw.
Mandibular osteotomy: This surgical procedure corrects problems like protruding lower jaw and overbite. Your surgeon will cut the rear part of your mouth to shift the lower jaw forward or in reverse.
Genioplasty: This surgery will treat a small or crooked jawline. The surgeon will arrange the jaw and chin by cutting the chin bone in the front of the jaw.
Jaw wiring: The doctor uses jaw wiring to position the jaw in a specific place or offer help on a crack or break.
Conclusion
Dental devices such as braces can often address jaw misalignment. More severe cases frequently need a surgical procedure.
Suppose your jaw is causing you extreme discomfort, whether continuing or after a trauma, visit your doctor or dentist. They can check the fundamental reason for the pain and work with you to get proper treatment.
