If the
jaw locks, the mouth can no longer close properly. The jaw closure is not
possible at all or only very slowly and with great pain. This means that
the lock is the opposite of a jaw clamp , in
which the mouth cannot be opened normally. Typically, the pain with a
locked jaw radiates into the throat or ears.
The triggers are diverse and range from signs of wear and tear in the
temporomandibular joint to abscesses and fractures. The good news: Locked
jaws rarely occur and are usually easy to treat. They usually go away
immediately once the cause is corrected.
For those
affected, the symptoms are nevertheless very stressful because the jaw is open
and it is difficult for them to speak and eat. Not only is these
uncomfortable, but it also often causes anxiety. In most cases, however,
these are unfounded - a lock jaw can be treated well .
Duration of a lock jaw
It can vary between a few
seconds and a few days. How long the problem persists depends primarily on
its cause and the associated therapy.
Why do the ears hurt with a jaw
clamp?
From an
anatomical points of view, the temporomandibular joint, middle ear and the
external auditory canal are close together. Therefore, it is not uncommon
for tooth or jaw pain to radiate to this region. Some sufferers therefore
experience earache, sore throat or neck pain ,
although the real problem is located in the temporomandibular joint. This
is normals and nothing to worry about.
Causes of a locked jaw
Locked
jaw is not a disease of its own , but merely a symptom of another problem. To get rid of them,
the first thing the doctor needs to do is find the trigger . In most cases it is found directly in
the temporomandibular joint. The following triggers are known for a lock
jaw:
Jaw dislocation
Doctors
refer to the dislocation of the temporomandibular joint as
dislocation . This means that the joint heads of the lower jaw jump
out of the joint socket of the upper jaw. If this happens, the mobility of
the jaw is blocked from one moment to the next. Such a dislocation can be
the result of an accident, but it can also result from any larger opening of
the mouth - for example with a hearty yawn or the bite into a large apple.
With a
healthy jaw, however, the risk of dislocation is extremely low. The
situation is different if bones or joint structures are previously
damaged. For example, due to wear and tear caused by osteoarthritis , inflammation or excessive stress as a
result of bruxism or CMD. Bruxism is the technical term for - mostly
nocturnal - teeth grinding and clenching, which can put a lot of
strain on the jaw in the long run.
The
abbreviation CMD stands for the term “craniomandibular dysfunction”. This
is a collective term for functional disorders of the temporomandibular joints
and the masticatory muscles, which can have different causes.
TMJ osteoarthritis
In older
patients in particular, osteoarthritis can lead to a
lock in the jaw , which is usually announced well in advance by
rubbing and cracking noises while chewing. In fact, the temporomandibular
joint is prone to wear and tear because it is the most stressed joint in the
body and is not only active when chewing, but also when speaking and
swallowing.
The
problem: Even
small incorrect loads can massively accelerate the wear and tear of the
temporomandibular joint and promote osteoarthritis. Problems are, for
example, missing molars, improperly placed tooth fillings or dentures,
injuries, misalignments or bruxism.
In the case of TMJ osteoarthritis, the cartilage disc between the joint head
and the joint socket is damaged. It becomes thinner over time and
destroyed cartilage cells promote inflammation in the synovial
membrane. With the deterioration (degeneration) of the cartilage, the risk
increases that it will slip and block the function of the temporomandibular
joint. This can lead to a lock or a clamp - depending on the direction in
which the disc is shifting.
The
change in the cartilage disc can also affect the bony structures and the
ligamentous apparatus. Neither of these benefits the stability of the
joint and is associated with pain that typically radiates to the head, neck and
ears. Over time, you often experience problems opening and closing your
mouth. If the ligaments tear and allow the joint too much leeway, the risk
of a dislocation of the jaw and an associated lock also increases.
Fractures
Sometimes
fractures are also a reason for a lock in the jaw. Especially in the case
of fractures in the lower jaw, for example as a result of an accident or blow,
bone splinters can block the joint in such a way that a jaw clamp or a lock can
occur. In such cases, only a surgical procedure will help.
Psychological causes
Some
mental illnesses such as depression or burnout syndrome
are associated with TMJ problems. The connections have not yet been fully explored , but many people tend to
transfer tension and stress to the teeth and thus the
jaw, for example through grinding or clenching their teeth.
This
often happens at night and involuntarily, but the constant strain is harmful to
the jaw in the long run. Mental illnesses or phases of emotional stress
can therefore be partly responsible for the development of a locked
jaw. The doctor should take them into account during treatment.
Locked jaw after dental
treatments
Anyone
who suddenly has problems with the jaw after a wisdom tooth operation, tooth decay or root canal treatment should
first think of a jaw clamp. The mouth can no longer be opened
properly. After visits to the dentist, this symptomatology occurs
significantly more frequently compared to the lock jaw. Only in a very few
cases is there a lock on the jaw as a side effect or after-effect of dental
treatment.
Usually
it can then be traced back to a conduction anesthesia. This is a type of
anesthetic that is used for operations on the lower jaw. Although this is
a routine test, it is not easy to use a conduction anesthetic because the
dentist has to inject it “blindly”.
In
contrast to taking blood from the crook of his arm, for example, he cannot see
or feel the perfect puncture site. Therefore, injuries to muscles, nerves
or blood vessels occasionally occur during the puncture. This can lead to
bruises, swelling and irritation, which in rare cases can cause a lock in the
jaw.
Tip
abscesses are another complication. A purulent inflammation forms at the
puncture site, which can trigger severe pain and a lock of the jaw.
Inflammation
and scarring of the jaw can also occur in the context of cancer treatment,
especially radiation, chemotherapy, or
surgery. Locked jaws can also occur in such cases.
Diagnosis of a lock jaw
If there is a jaw clamp, it is
important to find the cause . In many cases this is obvious, such as
a dislocated jaw . If there is uncertainty about
the trigger, imaging tests can help with the
diagnosis.
In addition to an X-ray, magnetic resonance
imaging ( MRI )
is an option . This is a procedure that works without
x-rays and, in contrast to x-rays, can show not only bones but also soft
tissue. It is therefore well suited to check muscles, joint capsules,
joint discs, tendons and ligaments and, for example, to detect a disc
displacement.
If a fracture or a tumor is suspected, computed tomography (CT) or a digital volume tomogram (DVT) can be useful. Both
work with X-rays, although this is significantly lower with a DVT.
