User:Mr. Ibrahem/Dislocated jaw

A dislocated jaw is when the condyle of the jaw bone is displaced from the joint surface of the temporal bone. Symptoms may include inability to close the mouth, problems speaking and chewing, and pain in front of the ear. Both sides are affected more commonly than a single side. Associated complications may include broken bones, injury to the external auditory canal, and cranial nerve injuries.

It may occur due to physical injury, over opening of the jaw such as with yawning, and underlying structural problems such as connective tissue disorders. Risk factors include prior loss of teeth. Diagnosis is often based on symptoms, though may be supported by medical imaging. Types include anterior (most common), posterior, superior, and lateral.

Most commonly they can be treated with closed reduction. This may require local anesthesia, procedural sedation, or muscle relaxants. A number of techniques exist, including pushing down on the molars and than pushing backwards on the jaw. If the dislocation has been long standing, open reduction may be required. That with recurrent issues may have botulinum toxin injected.

A dislocated jaw affects about 2 to 3 per 10,000 people per year and about 5% of the population at some point in time. Techniques to reduce jaw locations have been documented as far back as 1500 BC.