There are various causes of the disorders that affect the jaw which can include inflammation, birth defects, infection and cancer. The temporomandibular joint disorder is one of the common jaw conditions in the United States. One of the common birth defect involving the jaw is the cleft palate in children. The symptoms of the jaw conditions vary depending on the cause of the disease but mainly include the jaw pain and difficulty chewing. Depending on the cases, some of the jaw conditions can be serious requiring immediate medical evaluation particularly when the individual has difficulty swallowing, numbness or tingling sensation, locked jaw and stiffness or spasm. Some of the diseases that can affect the jaw include jawbone infection, temporomandibular joint disorders and osteonecrosis.
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the involvement of the two joints by the front of the ears where the lower and the upper jaws connect. This can develop as the result of various conditions such as arthritis, infection or jaw injury. The TMJ disorders can develop when the joint’s cartilage is damaged by arthritis or injury and the disk moves out of its alignment. Some of the symptoms include pain in the jaw, aching pain around the ear, difficulty with chewing, locking of the joint and facial pain. In most of the cases, this condition is temporary and can be relieved with the self-managed care. However, if the problem persists, medications may be administered to relieve the pain with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants. When other treatments are ineffective, surgery may be required. This can include procedures such as arthrocentesis, injecting the corticosteroid into the joints and an open-joint surgery to repair or replace the joint.
Jawbone infection
Also known as dental abscesses, this develops when a condition of the dental cavity remains untreated or bacterial infection develops. This requires prompt treatment or can continue to spread to the jaw and cause other complications. Some of the symptoms of this infection include swelling, pain in the mouth or the jaw, redness, swelling and the pus drainage from the affected area. The treatment focuses on removing the infection by the root canal therapy and with antibiotics in the severe cases.
Osteonecrosis
This occurs when a part of the jawbone is not covered by the gums, becomes exposed and begins to die as the result of impaired blood supply. In most of the cases, this develops after a dental extraction, cancer treatment, steroid use, gum disease, smoking and infection. Some of the signs and symptoms include pain associated with infection, soft tissue swelling and the exposed bone. Osteonecrosis is diagnosed with the presence of the exposed bone that lasts more than 8 weeks duration. The treatment usually includes the antibiotics, oral analgesics and rinses.
References
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tmj/diagnosis-treatment/treatment/txc-20209408
https://www.nationaldentalcare.com.au/treatment/diseases-of-the-jaw/
