|
Video: Lock Jaw Treatment
Child - Adult Therapy Examples
Locking Jaws Survey - Poll
Google a specialist
Unlocking Lockjaw
Oral Surgery Resources
Neuromuscular Dentists
Pick the Best
Question:
Cannot open jaw 1-2 inches: I got 2 fillings on my lower back teeth. I was given anasthesia twice and several days later my I felt pain in that tooth, in my jaw and ear, and cannot open my mouth more than an 1-2 inches.
I returned to the dentist twice since and he shaved down the filling more both times. He recommended ibuprofen and mentioned I must have aleady had problems but I never have until now.
After viewing your site I am concerned I may have lockjaw but I don't know which factor was the cause or how to treat it. I see in some cases there may be permanent damage if untreated. It has been an entire month with very little change. Please tell me how to proceed. ...Visitor from DE
Answer:
It sounds like you are suffering from TMJ (temporomandibular joint) problems.
Anything that changes your bite (as in the new fillings) could be the cause of this, or simply grinding your teeth at night could bring this on. You could also have swelling of the tissues in the area where the anesthesia was injected. This is near the TMJ, and could also cause bite changes.
Do you have any sensitivity biting on these teeth or feel like you go to bite one way and then slide into a different position?
Whatever the cause, the inability to open you mouth is called trismus. When one or two teeth are higher than the other teeth, they take all of the pressure that should be distributed among all of your teeth. You will grind at night to subconsciously make those teeth lower.
The grinding causes the jaw muscles to become spastic, hurt and limits your ability to open. Adjusting the bite on these teeth is helpful, but may need to be done several times because as the muscles relax, you are able to close more and may hit these teeth first again.
See the dentist again. I would probably recommend a muscle relaxant. My favorite is 2 mg Valium at bedtime for 2 weeks. Another one he may use is Skelaxin.
I would also consider a night guard or an appliance called NTI. Yes, you should have this treated before it becomes more chronic. Many people grind their teeth and have no symptoms for years, then have a flare-up when their bite is changed in any way.
Corinne Scalzitti, DMD, MAGD
Austin Reconstructive Implant Dentistry
3900 RR 620 South
Austin, Texas TX 78738
(512) 263-3330
|
|
