What role can osteopathy play in orthodontics?
Osteopathy represents an excellent way to restore the balance of physical systems within the context of treatment and diagnosis of movement restrictions and blockages within the human body. In osteopathy, the lower jaw is considered to be part of a whole that can only function if its components harmonize with one another.
Osteopathy assumes that man is one inseparable unity. Three systems, all of which influence one another, must be taken into account: the movement apparatus, the internal organs and the cranio-sacral system, which comprises the skull, sacrum and the spine as a connecting piece. The mandible is an important part of the cranio-sacral system, and thus plays an important role within the overall structure. Holistic orthodontic treatments should thus always be carried out with consideration for and, if necessary, inclusion of an osteopathic examination or treatment.
Symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD)
- Headache
- Migraine
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Dizziness
- Sounds in the ears – tinnitus
- Swallowing disorders
- Malfunction of the chewing organs – malocclusion
- Muscle tension in the neck-shoulder-head-jaw area
- Tension throughout the body
If one considers that a temporomandibular joint is moved 1,500 to 2,500 times a day, it quickly becomes clear that no other joint is moved as often. The cause of such functional disorders of the jaw joint, also called TMD (T = temporal = a bone on the side of the skull / M = mandibular or lower jaw / D = dysfunction), is usually found in the musculature, the immediate soft-tissue articulation or the joint itself. Whiplash, a broken tooth, or even a fall, e.g. on a slippery cellar staircase, can cause a difference in height between the right and left molars.
Osteopathy in orthodontics
As a child grows, the position of the teeth changes; this process adapts itself to each child’s individual posture. If there are functional disorders in the spine or cervical spine, this has an influence on the position of the temporomandibular joints and thus on tooth position. Other disturbances such as in the digestive system can also cause changes in posture and subsequently in the bite. As a supplement to treatment with braces, osteopathy can help ensure that optimal bite correction.
Talk to your dentist and / or orthodontist.
But what is the therapeutic approach here?
Physiotherapists cannot opportunity to change the positioning directly; rather, our work is to harmonize all of the muscles that act upon the chewing organ, whether directly or indirectly. Likewise, we can improve the mobilization of spine joints in order to eliminate the cause of the disturbance.
In order to resolve the “chicken or the egg” question – back pain due to TMJ problems or TMJ problems due to back pain – a dentist must be integrated into the process, for final clarification. He or she can ultimately determine whether or not the physiotherapy treatment has improved the occlusion (tooth-contact positioning).
A "panoramic shot" can be very helpful for us. We can see whether the joints of the jaw have a symmetrical pancic joint-head relationship or are not actually involved.
When the joint is healthy and the masticatory muscles are functioning well, they are usually unnoticed. Disturbances, pain or noises can occur if the bite is incorrect and the upper jaw and lower jaw meet in a position that is not ideal. Temporomandibular joint function is then disturbed. Even minor deviations are enough to impair the masticatory system and its adjacent structures. The patient feels symptoms.
Other symptoms of TMJ malfunctioning:
- Crackling sounds when chewing or yawning
- Grinding or pressing together the teeth at night
- Grinding down of the incisors (abrasion)
- Restless sleep
- Toothache (even though teeth, gums and jaw bones are healthy) = parafunction on healthy teeth
- Earache or noises in the ear (tinnitus)
- Respiratory disturbances during sleep
- Pain radiating through the the jaw / facial area
- Slight opening of the mouth or a movement disorder associated with opening or closing of the mouth, often associated with pain
- Jaw clamp (mouth can only open a bit)
- Too much mobility of the lower jaw (extremely wide mouth opening, dislodgement)
- Inflammation of the joint (arthritis), with rheumatic diseases or after joint injuries
- Concentration trouble and learning disorder
- Morning stiffness and joint pain
- Visual disturbances
- Pain in the face = trigeminal neuralgia
Temperomandibular dysfunction refers to the effects of this faulty positioning between the temporal bone and the lower jaw.
Causes of temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) may include:
- Rheumatic complaints (fibromyalgia, ankylosing spondylitis)
- Stress (biting teeth together)
- Postural damage, especially due to workplace-related deficiencies, with strains of the shoulder and cervical regions
- Accidents, e.g. whiplash
- Dental disturbances, gaps in the side tooth area
- Cavity fillings that are too high or too low
- Tooth treatments of long duration
- Incorrect placement of braces
- Operations performed under general anesthesia with overstretching of the joints
Holistic therapy is required in order to fully eliminate functional disorders of the temporomandibular joint; the entire masticatory system (teeth, jaw, musculature) and all neighboring structures must be treated.
Physiotherapy and osteopathy for functional disorders:
- Specific form of manual therapy that includes not only the jaw bone but also the cervical spine (e.g., sling table therapy) and relevant structures of the skull. In addition to training and the relaxation of the masticatory muscles, the treatment aims at finding a balanced body posture and muscle tone
- Osteopathy and cranio-sacral therapy methods are also used
Stomatognathes System / Oral Orthopedics
The stomatognathic system comprises all of the structures in the mouth/jaw/head and neck areas. These structures are interconnected, and thus interact with another.
Disturbances in this area can have a negative effect on the entire body, causing or manifesting malfunctions or diseases. This type of diagnosis is optimally approached in a multi-disciplinary way, taking into account dentistry, orthodontics, school medicine, naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, physiotherapy and osteopathy. The current literature has a great deal of information about TMD or temperomandibular dysfunction.
Temporomandibular Dysfunction (CMD)
George Goodheart, Doctor of Osteopathy D.O. and founder of Applied Kinesiology (AK) says, “The temporomandibular joint is the most important joint in the body.”
The temporomandibular joint and chewing apparatus are supplied by the trigeminal nerve. It is very dominant, connecting with all the other nerves of the brain. It can smell, hear, see, balance, chew, swallow, feel, taste, etc. One can imagine that trigeminal disorders can cause a wide array of symptoms can arise. Everyone knows how one feels sick all over when you have a toothache. In humans as in all other mammals, the masticatory muscles are the strongest in our bodies. Some of these masticatory muscles attach to the sphenoid bone. The sphenoid is a central cranial bone within the cranio-sacral system. This means that in malocclusions, the masticatory muscles bring a bone directly into a faulty position where the dura mater (cerebral membrane) begins. The dura mater is a tight, connective tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord. It has insertion points at the cranium, the upper cervical vertebrae, the sacrum and the coccyx; in between, the dura mater slides around the spinal cord of the entire spinal column, although it is itself totally inelastic. This means that defects of the temporomandibular joint sooner or later cause a dislocation into the entire cranio-sacral system and can thus be responsible for the manifestation of a great number of symptoms.
