Jaw Clicking, Headaches or Facial Pain? Understanding TMJ Disorders

In this short guide, we’re looking at some of the most common problems faced by patients with TMJ disorders. This includes a clicking jaw, headaches and facial pain. By the end of this guide, you should have a better understanding of your symptoms and will know what actions to take to help

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) explained

Your TMJ connects your jawbone with your skull’s temporal bone. It acts as a hinge and a sliding mechanism with fibrocartilage disc for cushioning. This allows you to smoothly move your jaw for speaking, chewing and yawning.

When there are issues with this joint, you’re likely to notice it because you use this every day. You might notice a clicking sound, you might have pain around the joint, or you might notice a popping sound when you open your mouth to a certain point. In some cases, you might have limited movement and it might feel like the jaw locks in place.

Common issues with the TMJ are often caused by misalignment of the teeth, bruxism (teeth grinding and jaw clenching), arthritis or trauma. Often there is an underlying cause that we need to understand before we can treat the issue.

Common signs you have TMJ problems

Since you use your jaw every day, you’re likely to notice if something is amiss. This may not be the case if your symptoms refer the pain elsewhere, which can make TMJ disorders difficult to diagnose. These are some of the most common signs of a TMJ problem:

• Clicking or popping sounds and sensations in your jaw. This might be when you are chewing or just when you open your mouth beyond a certain point. You might feel like you have to slide your jaw to one side to open your mouth fully.

• Pain in the face, jaw, teeth or neck. If your TMJ is caused by bruxism, or teeth grinding, then you might have pain in your teeth or sinuses, which can make you think the issue is elsewhere. The same goes for pain that is felt in the neck.

• Earache is another common sign of TMJ disorders that can mislead patients into assuming the issue is elsewhere.

• You might find that your jaw locks at certain points and it’s difficult to open or close your jaw. This is more common in cases of trauma to the jaw.

What is the treatment for TMJ disorders?

Treatment will depend entirely on the underlying cause. This can often be managed by small lifestyle changes and adjustments to your oral care routine.

For example, you might need to wear a dental splint at night time to prevent bruxism and stress-related teeth grinding. The splint might not stop your teeth grinding, but it can help to protect your teeth and jaw from the force of your bite while you get to the bottom of the underlying cause.

If your TMJ problems are caused by a structural misalignment, then your dentist might recommend braces to help correct this. Orthodontic treatment is about so much more than just addressing the appearance of your smile and can be highly effective for correcting structural issues.

Treatments like Botox can also help to relax the muscles in your jaw and prevent them from clenching when you are stressed. This can be a great way to find relief from the pain of TMJ dysfunction while you seek to understand the underlying cause.

When to see your dentist for TMJ problems

If your jaw is bothering you for any reason, then you should visit your dentist to understand the cause of this issue. Jaw problems could also indicate an issue with impacted wisdom teeth, and an X-ray will be the only way to identify if this is the case.

Seeing your dentist can also help to rule out your jaw as the source of the issue, which can be helpful if you are trying to understand the source of your neck pain or ear pain.