Craniomandibular Dysfunction (CMD) and Orofacial Pain are a group of clinical situations that cause pain or functional limitation of the masticatory and craniocervical system.
Usually, patients who suffer from CMD visit too many clinicians (neurologist, ENT, maxillofacial surgeons) before they can figure out what is happening.
CMD can be usually managed and improved with a good assessment and clinical team, and most of the therapy that we apply in our clinic may be diverse and multidisciplinary.
If you feel you can have a CMD, answer the following questions!
Quiz:
DO I SUFFER FROM CMD?
Answering these five questions you will be able to get an idea of whether you suffer from DCM.
1. Do you fell pain in or around your ears?
Overload of the TMJ may cause earache due to their proximity, specially when there’s a clenching habit. Hiperacusia, ear plugging, dizziness and tinnitus can also be present in these situations.
2. Do you have pain when you open your mouth wide or chew once a week or more?
If you feel easily tired when eating hard foods, or too much tension when opening wide, you may be overusing your masticatory muscles. You should be aware of your body posture during daylife, and also take control of possible parafunctions like nail biting or clenching and grinding.
3. Do you have pain in your temples, face, temporomandibular joint or jaws once a week or more?
Orofacial and jaw pain is one of the most common concern we see in our clinic. . It can develop due to toothaches, but it’s very typicall also that it may iresult from a craniomandibular disorder.
4. Have you lately registered that the jaw is locked or that you can't open wide?
If you are experiencing jaw clicking and locking, you may have a damaged or inflamed joint. It’s not a catrastophic situation, but you really need to take care of your oral stability and parafuntional habits.
5. Do you have often headache more than once a week?
Oppressive headaches in the frontal, temporal and parietal areas of the head may be related to teeth clenching. When muscles are stressed they often form tender “trigger points” that can refer pain to other areas of the body. Behavioural control and conservative treatment like a well adapted occlusal splint can really improve the situation.
CMD screening test:
RESULT:
POSSIBLE CMD
If you answered YES to any of these questions, you may have a CMD. A more thorough history taking and assessment may be indicated, so don’t doubt to write us about your concerns, we can help you!
RESULT:
NEGATIVE!
You seem to have a very healthy chewing system, and the best way to keep it that way is by doing a checkup. We will be happy to visit you!