Dislocation of the jaw is such an injury that it is almost impossible to anticipate. Even if a person leads a calm lifestyle, does not engage in power sports, he can easily get this damage. Sometimes with yawning or too intense chewing, a dislocation is obtained. This is not a frequent occurrence, but information about the injury, causes and symptoms should be known to every modern person. Of course, it is better to provide treatment to a qualified traumatologist, but medical knowledge has not bothered anyone. Agree, it is easier to deal with the problem if you know its cause and how to correct the situation.
Jaw structure
As you know, the jaw of a person is divided into upper and lower. The first is motionlessly connected to the bones of the skull, only a hard blow with a solid object, etc. can cause damage to it. The lower part is attached to the temporal bone by two joints that participate in its movement. What is a jaw dislocation? In simple words, this is the displacement of the surfaces of the joints. They consist of tubercles and heads.
Let's look at an anatomical dislocation. In the normal state, the articular tubercle serves as the only limiter. If the head slides, it appears on the front slope of the tubercle, due to which the jaw cannot function normally. This is a dislocation. In most cases, the head is shifted forward, less often there are shifts back and to the side.
Dislocation of the lower jaw
The joints become deformed as a result of the injury, which causes discomfort. The ligament-capsule construction of the jaw also relaxes. It is worth noting that dislocation of the lower jaw is not so common. However, no one is safe from this injury, so you need to know all kinds of information about its causes and treatment.
As a result of the dislocation of the jaw, the structure and shape of the inter-articular discs changes. It is easy to guess that the normal functioning of the body should be forgotten for a while. According to statistics, this type of damage is most often observed in middle-aged people: from 25 to 45 years. Moreover, the fair sex is more prone to injury than men.
Classification
Jaw dislocation occurred: what to do? If any disease or damage occurs, it is first necessary to determine their nature, type. The injury in question is no exception. There are several classifications, consider the main ones.
So, jaw damage can be:
- One way. This species is characterized by a displacement of the jaw in one direction. As a result, the joint cannot function normally, the patient is not able to close his mouth. As an additional symptom of dislocation of the jaw of this kind, pain in the ears stands out, which is felt more strongly on the side of the injury.
- Two way. This damage is observed more often, a person in the presence of an ailment can open his mouth, but the jaw involuntarily extends forward. In the process of swallowing and talking, the patient is uncomfortable. As a result of damage to the joints and a violation of their functioning in humans, increased salivation is detected.
Rear and habitual dislocations
In addition to the classification discussed above, there are two more types of injury that are most common. The most painful and dangerous is the posterior dislocation. Damage is observed in the event of a strong impact in this area. The jaw goes back, and in most situations more serious injuries are observed: a fracture of the walls of the ear canal or rupture of the joint capsule. The main symptom of jaw dislocation in this case is bleeding from the ear. It is urgent to deliver the victim to the traumatologist, because surgical intervention will be required.
Dislocation, which is called habitual, occurs in people with impaired jaw structure. For example, there is a flat articular tubercle, a weak ligamentous apparatus, or an extended articular bag. It is almost impossible to protect yourself from such an injury. This is just the case when a person receives damage as a result of sneezing, coughing, chewing, etc. The advantage of such a dislocation is that it is easily repaired. In some of the simplest situations, you can insert the jaw yourself.
Why is there a dislocation of the lower jaw?
The causes of such an injury are many. If we talk about the most popular, you can note a blow to the chin or area of the joint. This situation is accompanied by a rupture or overstretching of the ligaments. Much depends on the direction of impact. The jaw can move forward, and the main sign will be the exit of the head beyond the slope of the tubercle. The joint may lean back if the strike was very strong and accurate.
In addition, you can dislocate the jaw when trying to bite off a large piece of food, yawning, etc. Sometimes the damage appears as a result of severe vomiting and unprofessional dental intervention. As already noted, the anatomical structure affects the risk of injury. If a person initially has disturbances in the functioning of the mandibular joints, then dislocation during life is difficult to avoid. The problem of organ deformation is solved surgically.
Symptoms of dislocation of the lower jaw
The signs of the development of this damage are so vivid that the patient will be able to diagnose this problem on his own. Quite often there are clicks in the joints, pain in the lower jaw and temples. When talking or eating food, the jaw makes abnormal movements, for example, an involuntary displacement forward, sideways, etc. If the dislocation is strong enough, then the pain in the damaged area is acute and gives off to the ear or back of the head. These symptoms make themselves felt in the process of chewing or simply opening and closing the mouth.
The patient needs to know that often dislocation of the lower jaw can be asymptomatic. Therefore, a person in some situations does not immediately notice any damage. If you later find an injury, it is better not to self-medicate and consult a professional.
Diagnostics
Of course, a person can independently find a dislocation, but what to do next? If the injury occurred for the first time, you should definitely make an appointment with a specialist, in this case, a traumatologist. How to correct dislocation of the jaw in the home? An inexperienced person is not recommended to do such things, it will be much safer if you give the professional the opportunity to do their job.
The nature of the injury can be determined by the following signs:
- clicks in the joints, if the disease is asymptomatic, they are less pronounced, but with careful attention it is impossible not to notice;
- incorrect and uncontrolled movement of the jaw back and forth and right-left;
- painful aching in the temple and lower jaw;
- joint pain during certain movements.
If these symptoms are detected, a person can confidently say that he has a dislocated jaw. In this case, you should find a qualified traumatologist as soon as possible and make an appointment with him.
Dislocation Therapy
Treatment of dislocations of the jaw is aimed at one result - its return to its normal position. If there are no additional difficulties and complications, this procedure can be performed independently. But this method is fraught with unpleasant consequences, so it is worth resorting to it only in the most extreme case.
Treatment should be carried out by a qualified doctor, and the task of the victim and his loved ones is to provide first aid until hospitalization. The main thing is to fix the joint correctly. This can be achieved with a scarf, scarf or just a wide piece of dense fabric. This ends the first aid, now it is necessary to carefully deliver the patient to the traumatologist, who prescribes the therapy. Then a special bandage is applied to the jaw, which fixes a certain position in order to avoid new injuries.
The dressing usually lasts for two weeks, and during this period, the patient is better to exclude solid food from the diet. It is best to eat soups and cereals, which are guaranteed not to bring additional stress to the joints.
The procedure for setting the injured jaw
As already noted, if an injury occurs, you must immediately get into traumatology, where the specialist will deal with the treatment. Reduction of dislocation of the jaw can occur in the dental clinic, if qualified by a doctor. If the patient has bilateral damage (the most common), the on-site doctor performs a mini-operation. After the victim is seated in a chair, the doctor grabs his lips, while simultaneously grasping the lower jaw. Depending on the direction of the dislocation, the doctor makes a sharp movement, thus inserting the joints into place.
Then without fail a dressing of a fixing nature is applied for 3-5 days, in case of complications or slow healing, the doctor puts another dressing. As already mentioned, while wearing it is not recommended to eat solid food, thereby allowing the jaw to recover faster. The main thing when getting damaged is not to panic and do not try to fix it yourself if you are not a professional. The traumatologist will treat the dislocation of the lower jaw, this is his job. Then the risk of complications will be reduced to a minimum.
Special case - chronic dislocation
An injury of this kind arises as a result of untimely treatment or unqualified therapy by the attending physician. If the joint is not straightened immediately after damage, serious problems can occur. After contacting a traumatologist with a patient with a chronic dislocation, the doctor adjusts the joint only if anesthesia is provided. If the mini-operation was successful, a person for another three weeks will need to wear an orthopedic device, which fixes the jaw better than a bandage. Usually the result of treatment is positive, but it depends on the severity of the damage and the qualification of the attending doctor.
In especially difficult situations, surgical intervention is required, after which the jaw will be restored within a few weeks or even months. The operation is also necessary with a running habitual dislocation. Then it will be necessary to deform the joint, and the consequences can be very different.
Prevention
In our material, we examined the symptoms and treatment of jaw dislocation. But in order not to have to use this information, some recommendations for the prevention of injuries should be followed:
- during sports, be sure to use personal protective equipment, do not forget about safety precautions at work;
- if you have joint deformation, it is necessary to control the processes of yawning, opening and closing the mouth;
- if possible, avoid solid food, you can chop it so as not to impose additional stress on the joints.
Using simple rules of prevention, you can protect yourself as much as possible from possible dislocations of the jaw. Be more attentive to your health, and then diseases will bypass you.