You use your jaws a lot — for eating, drinking, speaking — even yawning and sneezing. It’s no wonder, then, that even a little jaw discomfort can have a big impact on your comfort and your overall quality of life.
While some jaw pain is temporary and resolves on its own, other times, pain can be a sign of a more serious underlying problem that requires medical attention. Richard Blackburn, DMD, MA, and the team at Volterra Dental provide a brief overview of some common causes of jaw pain, so you can know when it’s time to call the office for a medical evaluation.
Your jaws form where your lower jaw — the mandible bone — meets the bottom of the temporal bone of your skull, giving the joints their anatomical name: temporomandibular joints, or TMJ. Inside each joint is a spongy disc that cushions the joints and supports smooth joint function.
Joint pain can happen for lots of reasons, including causes that don’t involve the joints directly. Some of the most common “indirect” causes include:
Other times, pain is caused by a problem with the joints themselves. Arthritis is one possible problem, but often, joint-focused pain is associated with a surprisingly common problem called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ or TMD).
TMJ disorder happens when the jaw joints are irritated and inflamed, interfering with jaw movement and, eventually, leading to pain and other symptoms, like clicking noises when you chew. You might also have facial pain, tenderness near your jaw joints, or even chronic headaches.
TMJ rarely resolves on its own, but fortunately, there are lots of treatments that can help. Replacing missing teeth, straightening misaligned teeth, or wearing a night guard to prevent grinding damage are all potential treatments. Dr. Blackburn offers TMJ therapy focused on the specific causes of your TMJ pain for quick, lasting relief.
Certainly, if you think you might have TMJ, it’s important to call the office right away so we can start treatment and prevent further damage to your joints. But what about other causes of jaw pain? Do they still require dental treatment? The answer is almost always yes.
Jaw pain is never “normal,” so it’s important to have it treated as soon as possible to prevent the underlying problem from getting worse. Still, you don’t always have to phone the office at the first sign of jaw symptoms.
Some jaw discomfort might be temporary. For instance, chewy or hard foods can definitely strain the muscles surrounding your jaws, leading to temporary discomfort that resolves within a day or two.
If your symptoms last longer than that, if they worsen, or if you develop additional symptoms, like clicking noises or headaches, it’s definitely time to call the office. You should also contact us right away if:
And of course, you should call if your jaw pain is associated with any type of facial injury.
Just like other health issues, jaw pain benefits from early intervention to relieve your discomfort and prevent further complications. If you’re experiencing any sort of unusual symptoms involving your jaws, we can help. To learn more, request an appointment online or over the phone with Dr. Blackburn and the team at Volterra Dental in Los Alamitos, California, today.