What Causes Jaw Pain?
Fifteen percent of adults suffer from chronic facial pain. Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) are the principal source of pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). People who suffer with TMD usually have a hard time opening their mouths widely and may experience clicking or popping of the jaw. TMD is also associated with tooth and neck, and jaw pain. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, then you may have TMD:
- Pain in the jaw joint area, around your ear, or your neck or shoulders
- Difficulty keeping your mouth open
- Swelling on the sides of your face
- Clicking sounds that may or may not be painful
- Jaw gets locked in open or closed positions
However, not all jaw pain is associated with TMD. Here is a short list of jaw issues. The first few are related to TMD, and the rest are not.
Teeth Grinding
This condition is TMD related. If you notice that your teeth are shortened and look flat, you may be grinding your teeth too much, especially at night. A mouth guard could be the solution.
Mysofascial Pain Syndrome
Myofascial pain usually happens in the jaw area. Symptoms include restricted jaw movement, facial pain and clicking around the jaw area. This condition is TMD related.
Malocclusion
This TMD related condition is caused by impacted wisdom teeth, thumbsucking, and missing teeth. Its symptoms include Dull pain when speaking or chewing.
The following conditions are not TMD related:
- Tetanus
- Heart attack
- Jaw cancer
- Broken jaw
If you have any of the above symptoms, please make an appointment with us today.