The trigeminal nerve, fifth cranial nerve, is composed of three branches (upper or first ophthalmic branch, middle or second maxillary branch, lower or third mandibular branch) which bring to the brain the sensitivity of the upper, middle and lower part of the face and oral cavity. The ophthalmic nerve, or the superior branch, is a sensory nerve and carries sensations to the scalp, forehead and front of the head. The maxillary nerve, the middle branch, is more voluminous than the ophthalmic nerve and runs through the cheek, upper jaw, upper lip, teeth, gums and the side of the nose. The lower branch is made up of the mandibular nerve, which runs through the lower part of the jaw, the teeth, the gums, and the lower lip.
The trigeminal system with its connections plays the important role of regulator of the postural system through the sensory and proprioceptive component of the lingual apparatus, the dental apparatus, the buccal tissues, the labial system, the temporomandibular joint and the neuro-receptor system of the masticatory muscles.
From the spinal and mesencephalic trigeminal nuclei, the trigeminal nerve radiates to the reticular substance, the thalamus, the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex. The proprioceptive and exteroceptive afferents of the Gasser ganglion reach the sensory nucleus of the trigeminal one. The trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus behaves like a peripheral sensory ganglion that sends the axon of its pseudo-unipolar cells outside the S.N.C. tracing the spinal trigeminal pathway and spinal reticulum.
The other connections establish connections within the S.N.C. tracing the ascending associative pathways in the direction of the thalamus, cerebellum, vestibular nuclei and cerebral cortex, i.e. towards sensory and motor associative areas. The mesencephalic nucleus of the trigeminal is interconnected with oculomotor nuclei, vestibular nuclei and cerebellum.
Trigeminal neuralgia, which rarely involves all branches of the trigeminal nerve, is characterized by sudden, stabbing painful attacks described many times as electric shocks, pains that disappear just as quickly. At other times, however, patients describe pain as continuous and repeated arrows. Most of the time the pain occurs in the same half part, rarely on both sides of the face (and in any case never at the same time).
In the days preceding the neuralgia, patients may experience a tingling and / or a feeling of numbness concerning the half-split which will then be affected by the actual attacks.
Symptoms can be triggered during daily activities, such as eating, drinking, talking, brushing teeth, shaving, putting on make-up, or just washing your face. Wind exposure can also cause neuralgia. Especially for this reason, although this type of disorder does not prove fatal, trigeminal neuralgia can be severely debilitating for the patient who suffers from it. Regardless of the painful phase, in fact, some patients suffer from this pathology also on a psychological level, as they become fearful of living their daily lives and carrying out their normal activities.
The plastic action of the functional elastic orthodontic devices called AMCOP Bio-Activators, obtained through specific exercises, will be reflected at the level of the trigeminalis - which, as already described, also innervates the oral cavity and the teeth - and will therefore have an impact on the autonomic system, but also on the nervous system as a whole, since the trigeminal is connected to the cranial nerves and to the important nerves of the tongue and mouth. Furthermore, a good nasal breathing obtained with specific exercises with the activator will have as a consequence a positive charge on the ortho-sympathetic fibers.
In this way, numerous functional pathologies can be cured, provided that their cause is a vegetative disorder.
