CMD functional diagnostics
Back pain, headaches, tinnitus, migraines – a variety of complaints often have a common and usually undetected cause: the teeth!
Find out more about our successful CMD treatment concept to free you from your symptoms.
o you suffer from back pain, headaches, tinnitus, dizziness or migraines? These are often caused by dysfunction of the temporomandibular joints, chewing muscles and teeth.
WWhat is CMD?
Even the smallest changes to the teeth, jaw, muscles and temporomandibular joints can cause a range of temporomandibular joint and functional disorders. In dentistry, these disorders are referred to as craniomandibular dysfunction (CMD). CMD is nothing really new in dentistry. Dental functional diagnostics and functional therapy is an area in which we also specialise.
How does craniomandibular dysfunction manifest itself?
Craniomandibular dysfunctions occur from childhood to adulthood and can manifest themselves through many different complaints.
These include, above all, pain when chewing, speaking, swallowing or yawning, restricted mouth opening and pain in the head and jaw joint. A malocclusion can even cause back pain, migraines, neck or muscle tension.
Furthermore, an unclear bite position, permanent pain or pain from time to time, irregular or regular jaw joint noise, also possible on both sides, as well as painful muscle tension in the cheek or temple area, above-average wear of the teeth (abrasions), exposed hypersensitive tooth necks, isolated tooth loosening or tooth migration, chewing on one side only.
What are the causes of CMD?
Due to the different symptoms, there are also various possible causes of CMD: grinding, whiplash, tension, tension, back pain due to poor posture, misalignment of the temporomandibular joint or misalignment of the teeth or clicking of the temporomandibular joint.
CCMD in children?
In children in particular, it is important to prevent the symptoms of craniomandibular dysfunction mentioned above, recognise their development as early as possible and take positive action to prevent CMD from developing in the first place. Symmetry disorders are an initial, but often overlooked, sign. Only when they are perceived as unsightly and aesthetically impairing is treatment initiated. Many symmetry disorders, such as an open bite caused by wearing a dummy or sucking the thumb for too long, as well as missing milk teeth, have an early childhood cause.
If such a disorder, e.g. a slightly crooked head posture, a one-sided raised shoulder or pelvic obliquity, is not taken seriously and treated, a functionally unstable situation of the entire musculoskeletal system develops as a result. Without appropriate correction, the situation leads to a series of changes that extend into adulthood.
Especially with children, the earlier the treatment begins, the faster we see the results.
How can craniomandibular dysfunction be treated?
CMD is curable and can be treated with a splint in the lower jaw or, if necessary, in the upper jaw as well as additional physiotherapy. Medication can be administered if necessary. Furthermore, if necessary, a permanent splint or a long-term temporary appliance on the posterior teeth to stabilise the bite or, alternatively, orthodontics.
Interdisciplinary expertise is required to cure CMD, which is why treatment should always be carried out by a cranio-sacral specialist such as Dr Tschackert.
How does CMD treatment work?
In addition, splint therapy can be combined with physiotherapy or osteopathic treatment.
CMD and osteopathy – interdisciplinary collaboration for your health
Find out more about our successful interdisciplinary treatment concept here.
The jaw has an influence on our posture, as the teeth determine the position of the lower jaw and the lower jaw in turn influences the position of the hyoid bone (the hyoid bone makes static adjustments to posture). Misalignment or tension can lead to poor posture, pelvic misalignment and much more.
If you get your second permanent teeth as a child, it is important to have good tooth alignment. If there is a misalignment, it is essential to start with splint therapy from the dentist so that the body can be brought back into balance.
In most cases, manual posture correction by an osteopath or physiotherapist is recommended to support splint therapy.
If a misalignment of the jaw remains untreated, sooner or later the following complaints, among others, will occur:
What does osteopathy actually mean?
Osteopathy originated in America over 120 years ago. The vision of its founder, the physician Dr Still, was far ahead of its time. He recognised that the body has everything it needs to heal itself and maintain its health and that the human being is a unity of body, mind and soul.
Dr Sutherland, a student of Still’s, spent much of his life researching the connection between the skull and the organism. From these studies, he developed the concept of cranial osteopathy. It is made up of three areas: parietal (musculoskeletal system), cranial (cranium, spine and pelvis) and visceral (organs) osteopathy. He came to the realisation that the growth of a tree can be influenced by the bending of a single branch – transferred to humans, this means that if a child already has an asymmetry of the skull, this pattern will later be reflected in the entire body and later influence/restrict body function. He also discovered that even the smallest things are of great importance in osteopathy. Therefore, osteopathy focusses on the cause of the disease, detecting it, treating the affected area and helping it to regain its actual function and natural movement.
The patient’s self-healing powers are stimulated and obstacles to healing are removed.