Background
Often impacted wisdom teeth (third molars) can remain asymptomatic. There are others that cause various symptoms and pathologies including pericoronitis, pain, swelling, distal caries, bone loss, root resorption of adjacent teeth, odontogenic cysts and tumors. Often surgery is performed to extract the wisdom teeth. This surgery can also create issues that cause jaw pain.
Impaction Pattern and Symptoms |
Treatment Post-Surgery |
In a Central Anatolian Turkish population, it was found that pain and pericoronitis were the most common symptoms seen and that it was typically associated with a level A impaction and a vertical position. A level A impaction is when the occlusal plane of the impacted tooth is at the same level as the occlusal plane of the second molar (the highest portion of the impacted tooth is on a level or above the occlusal plane).
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In a case report by Lipton et al osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) was used to treat post-surgical jaw pain. Other attempts without the use of OMM failed to eliminate or decrease the patient's pain. The patient was treated with OMM including cranial and soft tissue techniques to free restrictions, reduce edema and restore normal anatomy and function in the area surrounding the distraction point. This treatment was successful in eliminating the patient's persistent jaw pain.
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References
Lipton J, Covington, D. Relief of persistent jaw pain with the use of osteopathic manipulative medicine. AAO Journal. 2013;23(2): 15-17.
Yilmaz S, Adisen MZ, Misirlioglu M, Yorubulut S. Assessment of Third molar impaction pattern and associated clinical symptoms in a central Anatolian Turkish population. Medical Principles and Practice. 2015;25(2):169–175. doi:10.1159/000442416
Yilmaz S, Adisen MZ, Misirlioglu M, Yorubulut S. Assessment of Third molar impaction pattern and associated clinical symptoms in a central Anatolian Turkish population. Medical Principles and Practice. 2015;25(2):169–175. doi:10.1159/000442416