Jaw Clamp And Jaw Lock

Jaw lock & jaw clamp

The temporomandibular joint is responsible for opening and closing the mouth. These movements can be restricted for various reasons. If the jaw is locked, the mouth cannot be closed completely. With a jaw clamp, however, the mouth cannot be opened completely.

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• What are the causes?
• How is the diagnosis of lock and clamp made?
• How are the locks and clamps treated?
• Whom can I ask?
• How are the costs going to be covered?

What are the causes?

Restrictions in movement of the temporomandibular joint can be triggered by a variety of causes.

Lock jaw (bite lock)

If the jaw is locked, the mouth cannot be closed. If the jaw is only affected on one side (e.g. due to a dislocation on one side), the chin points to the opposite side. Possible causes include:

• Dislocation (dislocation) of the temporomandibular joint (e.g. due to an injury or when yawning),
• Jaw fracture (e.g. when bone fragments restrict the mobility of the lower jaw)
• Jaw malformations,
• Swelling of the oral mucosa and connective tissue after regional anesthesia or as part of abscesses in the temporomandibular joint,
• Locking the jaw after a wisdom tooth operation (rather rare),
• Joint effusion,
• Tumor,
• Arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint (especially in older patients).

Jaw clamp

A jaw clamp hampers the opening of the mouth. The causes are varied, but mostly lie in the muscles, the jaw joint or the nerves of the jaw. Possible options include:

• Inflammation in the mouth and jaw area (e.g. difficult eruption of a wisdom tooth),
• Spasms of the masticatory muscles, e.g. as a symptom of other diseases (meningitis, epilepsy, tetanus or tumor diseases, salivary gland changes, etc.) and as a protective reaction to pain when opening the mouth (e.g. when the wisdom teeth erupt),
• Scarring of the masticatory muscles, e.g. after surgery or radiation
• Disc displacement (a type of herniated disc in the temporomandibular joint),
• Diseases of the temporomandibular joint (e.g. osteoarthritis, ankylosis, tumors),
• Temporomandibular joint fracture (e.g. when bone fragments restrict the mobility of the lower jaw),
• Anesthetic injection in the lower jaw (usually quickly subsiding),
• Clenching and grinding of teeth (bruxism) in the case of mental disorders and stress.

How is the diagnosis of lock and clamp made?

Movement restrictions of the temporomandibular joint are diagnosed on the basis of the symptoms. Local anesthesia of the lower jaw can be performed to confirm the diagnosis of a clamp. An X-ray may be necessary to determine a mandibular fracture or temporomandibular joint dislocation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be necessary to determine the position of the disc.

How are the locks and clamps treated?

In any case, the underlying cause must be treated. In most cases, locks and clamps can be treated relatively well. The duration of the restriction of movement of the temporomandibular joint can last from minutes to months and years.

Lock jaw

The following measures are used:

• Reduction by means of the so-called Hippocrates handle when the mandibular joint head is dislocated (either by the dentist or - in the case of repeated dislocation - by the appropriately trained patient himself / herself): The lower jaw is moved downwards and forwards with a little pressure so that the joint head slides back into its original position.
• Surgical treatment of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis, broken jaw and unsuccessful reduction.

Jaw clamp

The options include:

• Physiotherapy (especially exercises to stretch the masticatory muscles),
• Anti-inflammatory drugs and cold use for inflammation,
• Painkillers and heat application for pain-related cramps of the masticatory muscles,
• Splint therapy,
• Local anesthesia of the nerve tracts (for a simple spasm of the masticatory muscles),
• Anti-epileptic drugs (for repeated seizures after neurological evaluation),
• Surgical treatment for fractures of the lower jaw or dislocation of the disc,
• Surgical solution of ankylosis and adhesions.

Whom can I ask?

You can contact the following offices for diagnosis and therapy of restricted movement of the temporomandibular joint:

• General Practitioner,
• Specialist in dentistry, oral medicine and maxillofacial medicine,
• Specialist in oral and maxillofacial surgery,
• Specialist in orthodontics.

How are the costs going to be covered?

All necessary and appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic measures are taken over by the health insurance carriers. Your doctor or the outpatient clinic will generally settle accounts directly with your health insurance provider. With certain health insurance providers, however, you may have to pay a deductible (BVAEB, SVS, SVS, BVAEB).

However, you can also use a doctor of your choice (ie doctor without a health insurance contract) or a private outpatient clinic. For more information, see Costs and Deductibles.