Jaw Problems in Children

Many jaw problems develop at an early age, including adult teeth growing in wrong or malformation of the jaw. Other problems, such as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) or teeth grinding, often appear at childhood and go undiagnosed until adulthood. These problems should be identified as early as possible by a doctor or dentist, to fix the problem before it gets worse.

Tooth Alignment

A common jaw problem among children is when adult teeth in the back of the mouth get lodged in the jaw as they are coming in. This can cause severe pain and can lead to malformation of the jaw. Poor tooth alignment is solved by a combination of surgery and orthodontics, with a surgeon drilling a hole into the jaw and an orthodontist using braces to slowly coax the lodged tooth out of the hole.

Jaw Malformation

Malformation of the jaw is a condition in which the jaw develops improperly. This can be a natural malformation, such as an overbite or an underbite. If it is severe enough, it can cause pain when chewing and swallowing. Some malformations of the jaw are caused by the jaw attempting to compensate for overcrowding, or for baby teeth that have become lodged in the jaw and don't fall out when they are supposed to. Malformations are fixed by orthodontists or with dental surgery.

TMJ

TMJ is a disorder related to the temporomandibular joint. When this joint is traumatized or wears down, pain can develop in the jaw and can occasionally radiate through the ears. It can cause clicking, swelling or lockjaw. The disorder frequently develops during childhood and usually affects sufferers throughout their life. TMJ treatments include over-the-counter pain medication, heat application, therapy, bite plates, cortisone injections and, in extreme cases, surgery.

Teeth Grinding

Both children and adults can develop a habit of grinding their teeth. Teeth grinding can be indicative of TMJ, but is usually just a habit developed out of stress. It is frequently a subconscious habit and often occurs during sleep.

Mumps

Mumps is a disease that primarily affects children. Mumps cause swelling and pain in the jaws and cheeks and are often accompanied by a fever and headache. Symptoms usually subside within a week, and a full recovery is usually made within two weeks. An immunization against mumps is available, but there is no medication available to treat mumps.

Resources

• Oral surgeon interview