What functional disorders are
The chewing system of jaw joint, muscles and teeth ideally works together smoothly. When this interplay is disturbed, it is called a temporomandibular disorder, TMD for short, also known as CMD. The complaints are varied and are often not immediately linked to the jaw.
Symptoms
Typical signs are pain in the jaw joint or chewing muscles, clicking on opening, restricted mouth opening and morning tension. Recurring headaches and neck pain can also originate in the chewing system.
Functional analysis
It begins with a systematic examination of joint, muscles and bite. We record where the load arises and which triggers play a role. Only on this basis do we determine the treatment, instead of prematurely easing only the symptom.
Splint therapy
The most common and gentlest measure is an individually made splint from our own lab. It relieves the jaw joint, relaxes the muscles and protects the teeth from wear caused by night-time grinding. Depending on the findings, we complement it with exercises or further measures.
Addressing causes
Functional disorders rarely have a single cause. Overload, night-time grinding and stress often act together. We therefore treat not only the pain but look for the triggers and include them in the therapy, in cooperation with further specialists if needed.
