Re: ANKYLOSIS TREATMENT

[drmittal]

Ankylosis of the jaw can be painful and debillitating. Ankylosis, the fusion of the bones making up the joint or calcium deposits around the ligaments of the joint, can be caused by extreme trauma, congenital abnormalcies or rheumatoid arthritis. However, with a few well practiced exercises, pain and possible eventual surgery can be averted.

Is it ankylosis?
Individuals experiencing a tight jaw, regular headaches or disrupted sleep might consider speaking with their dentists to be screened for ankylosis of the jaw. The dentist will be able to diagnose the severity of ankylosis by inspecting how much the mouth opening is inhibited by the bone growth. X-rays or other imaging tests can help determine abnormalities in the bony or soft tissue formations in the joint.

A few exercises for relief
If you experience clicking in your jaw when opening and shutting it, try these few exercises to assuage surgery and further pain. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Opening your mouth wide keeping the tongue in place. Breathe in for two counts, and out for two counts. Release and repeat 10 times.

An isometric exercise will help strengthen the ligaments around your jaw. Make a fist and put it under your chin. Balance the weight of your fist and press as you slowly try to open your jaw. Hold for ten seconds. Release and repeat ten times.

Stretching out the sides of your jaw will help release and relax the muscles around the joint. Make a fist and press against the left side of your jaw, below the hinge. Allow the jaw to press back against the fist. Hold for 10 seconds and release. Repeat 10 times and then apply to the right side of your jaw.

Further relax the muscles by using one finger on each side to press evenly on both sides. Open the jaw very slowly and do not allow the jaw to click. If your jaw clicks, release and start again.

Once your jaw is relaxed, hold your chin between your thumb and pointer finger and loosely, shake your chin from side to side, allowing your jaw to relax and release. Repeat these exercises once a day or as necessary to align your jaw. With these exercises, your jaw will eventually assume the relaxed positions and work in a more efficient fashion.

Still no relief?
If after several weeks of these exercises your jaw is still causing you pain, surgery may be the next step. Surgery will entail removal of the rounded end of the lower jaw bone that forms the temporal mandibular joint. This is then replaced with a prosthetic condyle. Extensive physical therapy usually follows such a surgery.