Medyczna Szkoła Policealna Medicus w Poznaniu

Kierunek: ASYSTENTKA STOMATOLOGICZNA

Stany patologiczne narządu żucia

Pathological conditions of the chewing organ

Hanna Burkut AS1B

Praca zaliczeniowa na zajęcia z przedmiotu «Język obcy w stomatologii – j. angielski»

Poznań 2022
 Pathological conditions of the chewing organ
The chewing organ, which makes up the initial part of the digestive tract, is designed
to prepare food for digestion. While chewing food, it is crushed and then mixed with saliva,
which makes it slippery, that is, the formation of a food bite occurs.
Already at this stage, the preliminary splitting of carbohydrates by enzymes located in
the saliva of min. amylase occurs. Lips, tongue and teeth are very sensitive organs of touch. In
addition, the tongue is an organ of taste.
The chewing organ is also involved in the articulation of speech sounds.
The main component of the chewing organ is the oral cavity together with its organs. The oral
cavity is limited by the lips, cheeks, palate and bottom of the mouth. This space is filled with
dental arches and tongue.
In addition, the composition of the masticatory organ (stomatognathic system)
includes the jaws (upper jaw and lower jaw, that is, the lower jaw) and the
temporomandibular joint. The masticatory muscles, facial muscles, and salivary glands are
also part of the masticatory organ.
It should be understood that the chewing organ is a functional unity with the whole
organism.
An element characteristic only of the motor system of the masticatory organ is that
the muscle function of this system is influenced by receptors coming out of:
 temporomandibular joints;
 teeth;
 periodontal disease.
The activity of individual joints is closely related to each other. Violations in one of
them lead to a violation of the function of other joints.
Damage to the joints leads to a violation of the muscle function associated with the
masticatory organ, but also a violation of muscle function leads to a violation in the joints.
Muscle disorders may be the result of increased tone of these muscles of central origin.
What are the causes of masticatory organ dysfunction?
Prolonged functional changes lead to organic changes in individual elements of the
motor system of the masticatory organ. Clinically, this leads to so-called dysfunction.
Functional disorders can be caused by:
-by local factors localized in individual joints;
-by common factors.
Violation of a short circuit in the dental joint, they are as follows:
1. displacement of teeth (loss of tangent points, eruption of wisdom teeth, partial loss of
dentition), displacement of teeth to the gap, elongation of teeth;
2. occlusive and dental anomalies (teeth located outside the arch, mixed bite);
 3. incorrect prosthetics or orthodontic treatment, incorrect fillings;
4. injuries of the temporomandibular joint;
5. fractures of the mandible or jaw (the main local cause of short circuit parafunctions).
Changes in the temporomandibular joint, disorders in the arrangement of the heads
of the mandible, dysfunction of articular discs.
Local factors contributing to the occurrence of non-overlapping parafunctions (motor
habits in the chewing organ, in which there is no contact of opposite teeth).
Disorders in the dental-alveolar joint:
-inflammation;
-loosening of teeth;
-papilla edema (tongue wandering in this area);
-sharp edges of cavities, fillings, prosthetic work – parafunctions of the tongue;
-lesions of the oral mucosa.
Prolonged habitual chewing on one side:
-asymmetric muscle function;
-the load on the temporomandibular joint from this side.
A fixed, abnormal position of the muscles with a displacement of the lower jaw to the
side or forward.
The mental factor is the main general factor affecting the functions of the
masticatory organ. Psychological stress leads to an increase in the intensity of the practice of
certain habits.
From nervousness:
-we clamp, gnash our teeth;
-biting our nails;
-we bite foreign objects.
The muscles of the masticatory organ, as well as the facial muscles, take an active
part in emotional processes. Symptoms of dysfunction may be painful or without pain. They
are often found in high school graduates, students before a session, can also be the result of
civilization stress-we cannot eliminate this type of stress, therefore it is necessary to use
prevention of functional disorders of the masticatory organ.

What are the symptoms of functional disorders of the masticatory organ?

1. Inside the dental joint:
2. pathological collision of teeth;
3. positive tests for short circuit, crimping and/or gnashing of teeth.
4. In the dental-alveolar joint:
5. stratification of individual teeth;
6. stratification of a group of teeth;
7. teeth displacement;
8. exposure of individual teeth necks or groups of teeth;
9. hypertrophy of the alveolar bone.
In the temporomandibular joint:
1. impaired mobility of the mandibular heads (without acoustic symptoms), the so-called
"jumping of the mandibular heads";
2. pathological acoustic symptoms, for example: crackling or cracking;
3. compression soreness of the temporomandibular joint;
4. deviation of the mandible during abduction and/or reduction;
5. excessive protrusion of the jaw when lowering it;
6. deviation when advancing;
7. multiple range of lateral movements of the lower jaw;
8. excessive movements of the lower jaw;
9. limited movements of the lower jaw.
From the side of the muscles:
1. fatigue and morning muscle stiffness;
2. increased muscle tension;
3. soreness is pressing, tactile;
4. hypertrophy (square face with mandibular hyperplasia);
5. radiation of pain from overloaded muscles;
6. headache from tension of the muscles of the masticatory organ.
Other objective and subjective clinical signs of masticatory organ dysfunction:
 numbness, tingling of teeth and appendages, accessory cavities, fracture of the roots
of living teeth;
 symptoms of an otolaryngological nature: burning in the throat, larynx, "earache",
earwax, dizziness;
 eye symptoms, for example: pressure, feeling of deflation of the eyeball, pain in the
eyes;
 painful symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia;
 headache.
What are the general principles of treatment of disorders of the masticatory organ?
For the treatment of functional disorders of the masticatory organ, we use:
1. medical treatment, which is a supportive treatment;
2. physical therapy;
3. exercises for the muscles of the masticatory organ performed by the patient at home
and in the doctor's office under the guidance of a doctor;
4. the use of acrylate bite splints performed in the dental office.
 Short circuit correction: grinding of fillings, articulation nodules are methods
performed as a last resort and after other types of therapeutic methods that have not had an
effect.
One of the symptoms of masticatory organ dysfunction is mandibular dysfunction,
which is the result of inconsistent muscle function and/or far-reaching changes in the
temporomandibular joint. The purpose of the exercises is to restore the correct model of
mobility of the lower jaw and, consequently, the correct load in the joint.
A common indication for the use of exercises for the muscles of the masticatory
organ is any deviation from the norm, concerning both the direction and the scope of
movements of the lower jaw. Exercises should be individual for each patient.
When performing exercises, the following general rules apply:
-the volume and dynamics of exercises should be determined by a specialist doctor for the
treatment of masticatory organ dysfunction;
-exercises should be performed in such a way that during their execution there are no cracks
in the temporomandibular joint;
-exercises should not cause pain, the range of movement during exercise should be limited to
the limit of pain;
-it is advisable to use exercises immediately after eating, after a massage, or after using
physical methods of treatment, for example, to cool a painful area;
-exercises should be performed rhythmically, three times a day for several minutes (approx.
15 one-time exercises - the dosage of exercises should be careful so that they do not lead to
muscle fatigue;
-each movement should be performed slowly;
-when tightening muscles, muscle contraction is used for 5 seconds, after which the muscles
relax for a few seconds;
-in the first days after the introduction of exercises, it is necessary to monitor the correctness
of the exercises performed by a doctor.
Physical therapy
The purpose of physical stimuli used to treat the motor system is to restore normal
metabolism and improve blood circulation in overloaded muscles and their relaxation, as well
as to combat muscle and joint pain.
Physiotherapy procedures used to treat masticatory organ dysfunction are, first of all,
massage, heat in various forms, cryotherapy, electrotherapy, kinesitherapy.
Massage of the muscles of the masticatory organ is performed with relaxed muscles
with some removal of opposite teeth.
Indications:
-disorders of muscle function (changes in tone, changes in the number of muscle cells);
-vegetative disorders;
-disorders of blood flow in venous and lymphatic vessels;
-changes in connective, subcutaneous tissue.
Contraindications:
-dislocations and fractures;
-injuries;
-inflammation;
-neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia;
-fractures fitted with screws or plates;
-endoprosthetics;
-spinal surgery;
-symptoms of damage to the pyramidal pathways and cerebellum;
-hemorrhagic diathesis;
-vascular diseases-thrombophlebitis, embolism;
-changes on the skin;
-infectious diseases.