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Grinding at night, a click when you yawn, a tense jaw in the morning: behind this there is often a temporomandibular disorder, known in Germany as craniomandibular dysfunction or CMD. It describes an imbalance between the jaw joint, the chewing muscles and the way your teeth meet.
At our practice in Frankfurt Westend we look for the cause first and match the treatment to what we find, in most cases with a splint made individually for your jaw.
How to recognise an overloaded jaw
Many patients do not connect their symptoms with their teeth at all. Typical signs are grinding or clenching, often at night and unnoticed, a clicking jaw joint when opening and closing, tension in the jaw, neck and shoulders, and headaches, especially in the morning after waking up.
Worn tooth edges, sensitive tooth necks or the feeling that your bite is no longer right can be further clues. Not every one of these signs means a temporomandibular disorder. The other way round, the connections often go unnoticed for a long time, because jaw, muscles and posture all influence each other.
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Book appointmentBefore we treat anything, we establish where the strain comes from. That includes a detailed conversation about your symptoms and your daily routine, palpation of the chewing muscles, an examination of the jaw joint and its movement, and an analysis of how your teeth meet.
Where it helps, we take impressions or a digital scan so we can assess how the two jaws work together outside the mouth. The result is a diagnosis that we explain in plain language: what we found, what it means and which options are open to you.
1. First consultation and examination We record your symptoms and examine the jaw joint, the muscles and your bite.
2. Diagnosis and advice You learn what the examination showed and which treatment fits it. That includes what it costs and what your insurance is likely to cover.
3. Making the splint After an impression or a digital scan, your splint is made individually and fitted at the next appointment.
4. Check-up and fine adjustment A splint has to fit. During the first weeks we adjust it whenever that is needed.
5. Ongoing care If symptoms persist, we work together with physiotherapists or medical colleagues.
An occlusal splint separates the rows of teeth and spreads the forces that build up during grinding. It protects tooth structure from further wear and can take strain off the chewing muscles.
It is made individually for your jaw, because an off-the-shelf splint does not serve this purpose. Depending on the diagnosis, different designs come into question. Which one suits you we decide together after the functional analysis.
If the splint alone is not enough, we discuss further options. These include accompanying physiotherapy, relaxation exercises for the chewing muscles and, in suitable cases, relaxing the chewing muscle with medication. Whether that is an option for you is something we discuss only in person, after the examination.
Jaw joint, chewing muscles and teeth form one system. If one part of it is under constant load, the others feel it. If you are planning cosmetic treatment with us anyway, we check the jaw situation as well, so that the result lasts.
Book your appointment on Doctolib in a few clicks, around the clock and without waiting on the phone.
Book appointmentCMD stands for craniomandibular dysfunction, the German term for a temporomandibular disorder. It describes a disturbance in the interplay of jaw joint, chewing muscles and tooth contacts. Symptoms range from a clicking joint through muscle tension to headaches.
Many people do not notice it themselves. Clues are morning tension, sensitive teeth, worn edges or a partner who hears the sound. At a check-up we can often see on the teeth whether and how strongly you grind.
Ready-made splints do not fit precisely and take no account of your bite. In an unfavourable case they can even change the bite further. A splint that is meant to relieve strain is made for your jaw.
That depends on the diagnosis. Wearing it at night over a longer period, with regular check-ups, is common. Some patients need it permanently, others only through a demanding phase of life.
Where the diagnosis calls for it, German statutory health insurers usually cover an occlusal splint. Further diagnostics or special designs can mean a contribution of your own. You receive a clear cost plan beforehand.
Headaches can have many causes. If the chewing muscles are under constant tension, taking strain off the jaw can have a positive effect on the symptoms. Whether that applies in your case can only be said after the examination. With persistent headaches we work together with medical colleagues.
It happens, for instance when a stressful period of life comes to an end. You should not rely on it, because the wear on the teeth remains. An assessment tells you whether something needs to be done.
That depends on the extent of the diagnostics and the type of splint. After the examination you receive a cost plan, before anything is made.
Appointments, examination and follow-up are available in English, from the first consultation onwards.
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