Maxillary Skeletal Expander

When do you need a Maxillary Skeletal Expander?

When a person has a v-shaped upper jaw, with a high-arched palate and crowded teeth, there is a significant deficiency in the growth of their upper jaw which is called maxillary transverse deficiency. A narrow or constricted upper jaw reduces the space available for the teeth to fit, which leads to crowding and misalignment of the teeth. It can also have profound effects on nasal and sleep breathing. This may lead to insomnia, interrupted breathing during sleep, loud snoring or other irregular sleeping issues, which is generally termed as Sleep Apnea.

A Maxillary Skeletal Expander (MSE), is an oral device which is used to make predictable and profound expansion of the upper jaw and the nasal airway.  They use mini implants as anchors to expand narrow palates in adults without traditional jaw surgery.  This makes MSE a great option for patients who want to improve their bite, occlusion, breathing and airway disorders like Sleep Apnea without the fear of jaw surgery.

How does MSE work?

Constricted jaws result in narrowed air passages and nasal obstructions which hinders the normal breathing pattern. When an MSE device is placed in your palate, it aids in skeletal transverse expansion of the upper jaw. This makes more room in your mouth for the tongue and enables easy breathing. MSE also corrects any abnormalities in your bite and aesthetic problems due to narrow upper jaw by making space for aligning your teeth.

The experts in Sleep Medicine at The Right Bite CPC offer permanent solutions for Sleep Apnea and related breathing problems by providing you customized MSE appliance along with other advanced treatment options.

Reviewed By :Dr Rajesh Raveendranathan

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What will happen if TMJ disorder is not treated?

TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) is a jaw joint, one on each side, acting as a hinge connecting the jaw to the skull. This disorder causes pain at the joints and to the jaw muscles. There is no one particular cause for this condition, and it can and does change from person to person and as such its treatment also varies.

What if it is left untreated? 

Left untreated, TMJ disorder can worsen, leading to excruciating levels of pain requiring immediate medical attention, possibly even surgery.

Untreated it can lead to other medical conditions. Self-medication to relieve the pain is a bad habit commonly found among TMJ patients and unfortunately if often leads to addiction. 

Constant and severe pain and the involuntary grinding of teeth also leads to sleep disturbance.

It can also adversely affect a person’s personal relationships, quality of life and also work performance, leading to depression.

Some patients consume only soft or liquid food or even not eat at all, leading to malnutrition and other eating disorders.

The constant clenching and grinding of teeth can lead to the worn teeth enamel and fractured teeth. TMJ patients also tend to favour one side of the jaw to the other leading to uneven muscle growth and swelling of the face. It also gives their face an uneven look.

As the TMJ is close to the ears, and it’s disorder can lead to symptoms like ringing or itching sensation of the ears. Body balance and vision can also be compromised.

This disorder can also cause serious jaw problems like Lock Jaw, where the jaw becomes permanently stuck, leading to a hospital visit.

All this is totally unnecessary as the disorder can be quickly and efficiently treated.

Reviewed By :Dr Rajesh Raveendranathan

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Mail Us:icpriblr@gmail.com

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Is age an influential factor of TMJ disorder?

Temporomandibular Joint (T.M.J) is a joint in the human jaw that acts as a hinge connecting the jaw to the skull. TMJ Disorders (T.M.J.D) is considered to involve pain in and around the jaw joint caused by spasming of facial muscles due to displaced TMJ. 

Earlier, it was believed that this disorder was more prevalent in women than men. But, it has been found to be not so. Both men and women are equally affected. 

Is age an influential factor?  Studies have shown peak prevalence in the middle-aged population. 

TMJ is not one disease, but a combination of many. It is classified into three disorders; namely, that of the muscle, disk and joint. And, at all three of these parts of the human body, degeneration occurs and progresses as the age of the person advances. If not diagnosed properly it is shown that 40-70 percent of the population over the age of 65 have TMJ degeneration. 

However, in the majority of the cases, there are no obvious clinical symptoms and the disorder resolves all by itself. But, in at least 15 percent of the cases the disease worsens. It is now believed that as body ages, the functional demands of TMJ may exceed the repair and remodeling capability of the body, leading to degeneration.

Women above 50, during their menopause, are more likely to suffer TMJ degeneration than men, due to extremely varying hormone levels. Muscle disorders among the elderly and their unwillingness to seek TMJ degeneration treatment are also factors. 

All this shows that while age, though influential, is just one of the many factors involved.

Reviewed By :Dr Rajesh Raveendranathan

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How does TMJ affect facial muscle?

The temporomandibular joint is located on each side of the head. This connects the jaw to the skull, making it possible to chew, speak, swallow, and open and close the mouth. Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders or TMD are considered to be a group of conditions that would cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and muscles. These muscles control the jaw movement; hence it leads to facial pain. A TMJ disorder can cause pain in the head and neck as well.

Normally, the pain and discomfort caused due to TMJ disorders would be temporary. Hence, it could be relieved with self-care or nonsurgical treatments. Surgery will be suggested as a last resort to treat TMJ disorders.

Causes of TMD

Usually, the reason behind TMJ disorder is unknown. However, the painful TMJ disorder can occur under the following situations:

• When the disk erodes or moves out of its alignment 
• When the joint’s cartilage is damaged.
• When a blow or other impact damages the joint 

Facial muscles & TMJ disorders 

Usually, when people get stressed or due to Obstructive Sleep Apnoea the muscles would get tightened, especially the face and jaw muscles. This would lead to clenching of the teeth both on stress or during night resulting in pain or TMJ disorder. Any physical stress on the face and neck muscles.

TMD can wear down the teeth, disks, and bones. There will be excessive contractions in the muscles that would lead to accumulated muscle tissue. The tightness in the surrounding tissues would lead to poor lymphatic drainage, and at times causes skin conditions such as acne, rash, and cellulite. 

TMD can contribute to changes in the facial structure as the muscles would become disorganized with some overworking. The natural look of the face could be altered when the teeth shift, if a bone loss occurs, or if the bite and jaw are improper or off-balance.

It is crucial to have good circulation and coherence in the various layers of tissue as it would reflect in healthy and glowing skin. 

Treatment

Normally, the doctor would recommend specific facial exercises to help relieve the pain and to get back the muscles in position. Medications, Orthodontics and splints would also be suggested. Surgery is advised only if there is a complete lock jaw.

At The Right Bite Craniofacial Pain Care, the doctor and his team would provide the necessary treatment that could help relieve the pain caused on the facial muscles due to TMJ disorders.

Reviewed By :Dr Rajesh Raveendranathan

Visit Us:tmjindia.com

Mail Us:icpriblr@gmail.com

Book an appointment:tmjindia.com/book-appointment