Why do our knees and elbows and hands get arthritis but not our jaws?

8 Comments

1. kellkell says:

   October 9, 2011 at 4:11 am

   My mom actually has a bit of it in her jaw. It’s just less common, I guess.
2. Britney says:

   October 9, 2011 at 4:15 am

   Wow, I never even thought of that.. maybe because it doesn’t have to carry any weight?
3. greydoc6 says:

   October 9, 2011 at 5:02 am

   Actually, in the severest forms of juvenile (rheumatoid) arthritis, the jaw is involved. The Temporomandibular joints can develop limited range of motion, and the growth plates can be affected so that the mandible becomes hypoplastic as the patient grows.
4. GaryR says:

   October 9, 2011 at 5:32 am

   Wow! I have been suffering from severe advanced Osteo Arthritis for several years now, and can’t bend over to tie my shoe laces, or move around without extreme pain. I can’t imagine what I would do if it ever moved into my jaw! Something new to worry about tonight. Thanks.
5. white_bread86 says:

   October 9, 2011 at 6:15 am

   arthritis affects mainly joints that bear a lot of weight (not just heavy things, but also your upper body). The knees, hips and hands are joints that especially bear weight (or lift heavy things, as in the case of hands).
   The jaw is used a lot, but isn’t used to lift heavy things (unless your one of those guys that can lift stuff with your teeth lol), so that’s why it doesn’t eventually get arthritis.
6. L_H Qutub(Retired) says:

   October 9, 2011 at 6:55 am

   No Moveable Joint is spared.
   There are many types of arthritis that affect the jaw and cause pain. The jaw joint is called the temperomandibular joint.The temporomandibular(TMJ) joint is the joint that allows interaction between the temporal bone of the skull and the lower jawbone (mandible). There are two temporomandibular joints, one on each side of the face just in front of the ears. Ligaments, tendons, and muscles support the joints and are responsible for jaw movement.
   Within the temporomandibular joint there are moving parts that allow the upper jaw to close on the lower jaw (i.e. biting and chewing, talking and yawning). It is one of the most frequently used of all the joints in the body.
   Poor posture can also be an important factor. For example, holding the head forward while looking at a computer all day strains the muscles of the face and neck.
   Other factors that might aggravate TMJ(Tempero Mandiblar Joint) symptoms are inability to relax, poor diet, and lack of sleep and inadequte sleep, stress/tension, tobacco chewing , cocaine etc.
   For further reading URL.
   http://www.arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com/jaw-arthritis.html
7. Pharmalolli says:

   October 9, 2011 at 6:58 am

   Arthritis affects “weight bearing” joints and that is why the most commonly affected joint is the knee.

   By the way arthritis has many types but most likely you mean OSTEOarthritis, which is not a systemic disease. Other types of arthritis include Rheumatoid which is an autoimmune systemic disease, which means it can spread to the whole body in severe cases.

   Good Luck
   I am a Pharmacist
8. Danielle says:

   October 9, 2011 at 7:12 am

   it is just not a more common joint to get it in but people still get it there. i have it there and i hate it because it makes it hard to eat.