In this blog post, we will explore the importance of maintaining healthy joints in battling TMJ disorder among seniors, or anyone for that matter. I will focus on how this condition can affect one’s health, sleep, and overall quality of life, as well as treatment options available for managing TMJ disorder.

When it comes to being a senior there seem to be so many more things to be concerned about than when we were younger. At any stage, the temporomandibular joint’s functionality is essential for basic yet vital activities including eating, speaking and expressing emotions through facial movements. However, this critical joint can become compromised due to a history of dental procedures, tooth loss increasing stress on the TMJ, habitual clenching or grinding of teeth (bruxism), or simply the natural aging process, which can lead to degeneration of the joint’s cartilage.

Symptoms in seniors may manifest differently than in younger individuals, often characterized by more pronounced pain, limited jaw mobility, and even changes in the fit of dental appliances. In addition, older adults might experience headaches, earaches and increased sensitivity in the facial muscles, all of which can significantly impact their daily lives. The role of dental health becomes increasingly important in diagnosing and managing TMJ disorder in this age group.

Well folks, with the regular checkups with all those doctors, let’s be sure to make one of those doctors your TMJ specialist! A pivotal tool in evaluating the health of these joints is the CBCT X-ray, a diagnostic approach that offers comprehensive insights into the condition of the jaw joint, allowing for targeted interventions. The other diagnostic tool is an MRI. This allows the specialist to see all the soft tissue from the neck up.

For example: If the MRI shows slipped and or displaced discs in the TM joints, it would be prudent to try and fix the problem before it gets worse. Did you know that those slipped discs correlate to many other health problems? Well, they do!  The slipped discs directly correlate to SDB (Sleep Disordered Breathing)  along with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Slipped discs also correlate with whole-body pain because the inflamed joints affect your entire body. Bottom line: It’s good to talk to your TMJ specialist! The integrity and health of joints are indispensable and contribute significantly to the overall resilience against conditions mitigating inflammation and aiding in the smooth operation of the temporomandibular joint.

In regards to the CBCT X-ray, this is a very valuable bit of a data gold mine. The X-ray provides a view at the top of the jaw bones (the condyles) to determine if they are eroding, flattened, damaged, too high in the socket and so many other issues. If that condyle is not where it should be, it adds to your list of chronic inflammation sources. The condyle will rub around in the socket and can actually further displace an already out-of-place disc. This just makes the situation worse.

The frontal view of your skull is quite critical in determining the symmetry of the cranial bones. As we get older, we tend to lose our good posture, i.e. we hunch more.  So, if the cranial bones are out of alignment like we see in so many people, hunching will just make things worse as we age, and this leads to more head and neck pain. More hunching with a distorted skull means more pain as we get older. It’s a simple thing and by spotting the cranial distortions earlier in life, you can use something like the ALF appliance to help reduce the asymmetry for a better future. Less pain makes for better sleep and a happier life.

Another aspect of the CBCT is the view of the cervical spine (the side view of the neck). With this view, we can see AND measure the distances between C-1 and C-2, and from C-1 to C-0 (occiput). This is the section of the spine in the neck. Both these distances need to be around 6mm for good health. If they are not, this means the cervical spine is compressed. It’s good to know this at a younger age so you can work on it with your physical therapist, wear a proper oral appliance and get better before you get too much older.

The MRI will show how the disc acts when opening and closing. Because this diagnostic tool shows all soft tissue, the specialist can see if there is any evidence of hemorrhagic within the brain around the TM joints.  The other great piece of information is the measurement of the range of motion and angulation of the joints. This is very valuable information to help create a good treatment plan. Fostering healthy joints involves a multifaceted approach to working with your other doctors and or therapist. The goal is to relax and strengthen the muscles surrounding the jaw and advocate for proper position.

Concluding our exploration of TMJ disorder and its impact on senior health, it’s evident that maintaining joint health is a cornerstone of mitigating this condition’s effects. Seniors are encouraged to take a holistic approach to their well-being, integrating physical, nutritional and therapeutic strategies to bolster joint health and manage TMJ symptoms effectively.

Furthermore, staying informed about the latest in TMJ management and maintaining open communication with your healthcare providers are key steps in navigating this condition successfully. It only makes sense. So, pay attention to your TM joints and stay healthier later in life! This proactive stance on joint health is instrumental in the broader spectrum of TMJ management, ensuring that seniors are equipped with the strategies necessary for mitigating the condition’s effects and enhancing their overall well-being.

Call To Learn More

If you have any questions or concerns, we invite you to call our dedicated team in Falls Church, Virginia and speak with a member of our team. We are also happy to schedule a visit with Dr. Jeffrey, Brown. Just call 703-821-1103 today!

Read Dr. Brown’s article in Your Health Magazine.

The post The Importance of Healthy Joints in Battling TMJ Disorder Among Seniors first appeared on Sleep & TMJ Therapy.

TMJ and sleep disorders are very common but not really understood.  This can explain why myths or misconceptions are out there.  The other side of this coin is this is also commonly misdiagnosed because symptoms vary from person to person and are similar to other problems.  One example of similarities is with Lyme Disease.  This is caused by a tick bite and the symptoms could be chronic headaches or migraines, jaw pain and tingling in the hand or fingers, notable symptoms of TMJ disorder. The big difference is Lyme disease does not have the clicking and popping or vertigo symptoms of TMJ disorder.  There are other examples as well; migraines, Trigeminal Neuralgia (short, sharp pain from touching of the jaw joint), or even a Ganglion Cyst (on the TM joint causing swelling and jaw pain).

Just remember all of us get sore muscles from time to time. The big difference is when the muscles in your jaw joints get sore and the soreness does not go away.  This is when you should ask your dentist for a referral. Otherwise, you could be prolonging the unnecessary pain or soreness and allowing the disc to possibly become further damaged.  TMJ disorder does affect other parts of your body. The myth of no popping or clicking means no TMJ disorder is not true.  These displaced discs can cause other symptoms of neck pain, backache, loss of balance, or hearing loss without the clicking or popping.

Another common myth is that TMJ disorder is harmless and that living with it will not cause problems.  It is true this condition is non-life-threatening but at the same time, it should be addressed.  Some possible development would be bruxism.  This process causes grinding of your teeth and clenching, wearing down your tooth’s enamel, and can cause sleep issues.  If the tooth enamel is worn down, then the potential of decay or tooth loss becomes greater.

For the sleep side of things, sleep can be interrupted by the clenching and grinding of your teeth.  Interrupted sleep or waking up unrefreshed is a symptom of both TMJ disorder and sleep apnea. It is not considered just a sleep issue.  The myth of sleep issues coming with age is not exactly true.  The aging process does decrease the tone in muscles and the airway muscles are not immune to this. The muscles in the airway no longer hold the jaw in the correct place and in turn, the airway becomes restricted. Your body is now fighting harder to breathe.  The use of a CPAP as the only treatment for sleep apnea is another myth.  The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has determined that an oral sleep appliance is very effective for mild to moderate apnea index.  This index tells us how many times your sleep is interrupted within a night.  The Epworth scale (tiredness level) in conjunction with the apnea index can determine if the oral appliance will be effective.

An interesting myth, sleeping on your side cures sleep apnea, actually helps with sleep apnea but does not cure it. By sleeping on your side, the tongue is not relaxed enough to obstruct the airway by falling back into the throat creating a blockage.  The tongue is off to the side allowing air to pass through the airway.  This is noted with mild cases of sleep apnea.  The side sleeping is most definitely not a cure but is recommended a lot for “positional apnea”.

There are so many more myths out there for both TMJ and sleep disorders.  Always consult with your dentist or physician when it comes to these issues.  You do want to address these symptoms because both these conditions will affect your brain and in turn affect cognitive functions, generating higher stress, and possible memory loss.

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