Gnathology

What does a gnathologist do?

Gnathology is a narrow branch of dentistry that is devoted to the work of the jaw apparatus and its components (muscles, bones, nerves, joints, etc.). Any qualified dentist has skills in this field, but when solving specific or complicated cases, an expert in this field cannot be dispensed with.

When should you contact a gnathologist?

Since gnathologists specialize in a narrow area, the list of problems with which you can contact them is clearly outlined:

Painful sensations in the area of the temporomandibular joint (feels like pain in the area of the ear and in the masticatory muscles);
The inability to open the mouth wide, as well as problems with the movements of the lower jaw in general;
Sounds, crunches and unpleasant sensations in the jaw joint.

But this list can be supplemented with those problems with which we first turn to other specialists, but they can also be a symptom of problems with the temporomandibular joint, such as:

Tinnitus;
Neurology;
Tension or pain in the collar area;
Headaches.

Also, an appointment with a gnathologist is included in the preparation package for orthodontic and orthopedic treatment, because these areas are closely interconnected, and thorough diagnostics is a mandatory component of successful treatment in the Giorno Dentale family stomatology network in Kyiv.

Most often, in clinics you can meet specialists who are classified in several fields at the same time, for example, an orthodontist or orthopedist is often highly qualified also as a gnathologist, who conducts a successful long-term practice in the Giorno Dentale network of family dentistry in Kyiv. For treatment, it is important to choose such a specialist, because he takes into account the peculiarities of the movement of the lower jaw during orthopedic treatment, then the temporomandibular joint can receive too high a load and as a result - discomfort when opening the mouth, arthrosis and arthritis, headache.

What does a gnathologist do?

Figuratively speaking, a dentist-gnathologist can be called an architect-engineer in the field of dentistry. After all, if dentists treat caries, orthodontists take care of the correct position of teeth, orthopedists install crowns, then a specialist in the field of gnathology deals with the foundation - the physiological position of the heads of the jaw joints, individual features of jaw movement.

Are there causes of gnathological disorders?

Malfunctions of the temporomandibular joint and the entire system as a whole can have such causes as congenital features, as well as spinal injuries, facial muscle spasms, and most often - an incorrect bite.

Also, one of the frequent causes of problems with the proper functioning of the TMJ can be untimely installation of an implant in place of a removed tooth. After all, in this case, the load is incorrectly redistributed, the skew increases, which causes the development of pathologies related to gnathology in orthopedic dentistry.

Diagnosis at a gnatologist

Any appointment begins with an anamnesis, examination and palpation of the joints and muscles, as well as an X-ray or CT scan of the jaw. Also, gnathologists use such a method of diagnosis as condylography - a recording of the movements of the temporomandibular joint in the form of an electronic 3D model.