Back pain is a very frequent and most often disabling disorder. When the general practitioner is asked about this problem, we often find ourselves directed to the orthopedist or osteopath, more rarely we are led to think that a dentist, or rather a specialist in gnathology, can solve the problem.
Why can back pain be linked to teeth?
Gnathology is that branch of dentistry that deals with pathologies affecting the joints of the mouth, malocclusion, bruxism, temporomandibular pain.
A problem of malocclusion, that is, of non-alignment between the two dental arches, can be the cause of many problems, including postural ones.
If, with the mouth closed, the teeth do not correspond between the upper and lower arches, the temporomandibular muscles are constantly under tension with repercussions on the entire musculoskeletal structure.
The main symptoms of muscle contraction caused by a malocclusion problem are:
- headache;
- neck pain;
- balance problems;
- back pain.
If no proper action is taken, the balance of the entire skeleton is compromised. Back pain therefore becomes persistent.
How to cure teeth to cure back pain
To find the balance of the entire musculoskeletal system it is essential to bring the teeth back to their correct position.
Dental therapies to solve malocclusion problems that can cause back pain are:
- orthodontics (with application of an orthodontic appliance or a bite);
- selective grinding;
- implantology.
Orthodontics
The orthodontic appliance is applied when it is necessary to return the teeth to their correct position through the traction exerted by the appliance. A solution particularly indicated when the misalignment between the dental arches is caused by crooked teeth.
The application of the bite instead allows to re-establish the right pre-contacts between the dental elements, in this way the jaw assumes the correct position and the temporomandibular muscles decontract.
The body thus regains balance and correct weight distribution, which no longer weighs on specific parts such as the back or lower limbs.
selective grinding
Selective grinding, on the other hand, has the function of intervening directly on the tooth surface, the dentist remodels, with special tools, the contact points of the teeth to make them adhere correctly to each other
implantology
Implantology, on the other hand, is the feasible therapy in cases where malocclusion is caused by the absence of one or more teeth. Restoring the lost elements allows to restore the correct alignment of the arches in addition to a correct chewing.
In the presence of back pain, therefore, it is advisable to consult the dentist and even better a specialist in gnathology. Once the diagnosis has been made, it will be possible to proceed with a specific dental therapy which will aim to bring the jaw, jaw and temporomandibular muscles back into balance.
