Though Spondylitis can be caused by a number of reasons including poor sitting position, bad posture, wrong way of exercising, a disorder or extra strain on TMJ can also lead to spondylitis.
Due to a close connection (muscular and neural) between the neck and jaw, most of the patients with jaw pain have a stiff neck as well, which not treated immediately can lead to a cervical disc slip or deformation in the spine. Moreover, this can lead to very painful and continuous headaches because of the constant tension TMJ is in.
Some TMJ issues go undetected in life until a major health issue pops up. When a child has an under- bite or an over- bite, they or their parents might not notice any problem as it is something they feel normal about since their birth. As they grow older, the joints and the spine might not align properly due to the strain they are in, leading to deformations and disorders.
Similarly, can malocclusion be caused if a person has spondylitis?
MBH/PS
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Yes, front-open teeth( anterior-open bite)and upperteeth tuck into lower teeth (posterior-cross bite) malocclusion can be seen in person suffering from spondylitis. It is due to flattening of TMJ joint, that slides mandible. Early orthodontic treatment, regular checkups would help in preventing further damage to gum tissues.
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This post wonderfully highlights the importance of TMJ. The mandible and the TMJ are considered to be the most frequently used joint; malocclusions can lead to something called TMDs – temporomandibular disorders. It’s always taught to us to make sure the jaws are in the most relaxed position, that is in centric relation. But with advancing dentistry, the current requisite is something called NEURO MUSCULAR DENTISTRY, which is aligning teeth so that the muscles, the bone, and the nerves encased inside them will be in the most relaxed posture. Similarly, centric relation is outdated; now what we follow is MYOCENTRIC POSITION OF JAWS!
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I appreciate the discussion on TMJ and cervical relationships, but I’d like to respectfully clarify some points based on current evidence.
While jaw pain and neck stiffness can co-occur, the claim that untreated neck stiffness in jaw pain in patients immediately leads to cervical disc herniation or spinal deformation, is far fetched.
Cervical disc pathology has a multifactorial etiology including degenerative changes, trauma, and biomechanical stress, not easily untreated muscle tension from TMJ issues. The temporal relationship and causation suggested here would need substantial evidence.
TMJ disorders and cervical issues do share anatomical and functional connections, but we should be careful about overstating cause-and-effect relationships. This could create unnecessary alarm for patients.
Happy to discuss further or review any sources supporting this connection.
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Yes due to TMJ issues
This post also highlights the signifance of dentistry
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