If you have been dealing with jaw pain, unexplained headaches, or a clicking sound every time you open and close your mouth, the problem may be connected to your temporomandibular joint.
What Is the TMJ?
You have a joint on each side of your face called the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. It connects your jawbone to your skull.
Every time you speak, chew, or yawn, this joint is working. When something goes wrong with it, we call this a temporomandibular disorder, or TMD.
TMJ Symptoms Do Not Always Feel Like Jaw Problems
The challenging part is that the symptoms do not always appear to come from the jaw.
Jaw pain is common, but I also see patients who come in with ear pain, chronic headaches, or stiffness in the neck and shoulders. Some have been treating these problems separately for months without improvement, without realising that their jaw may be the underlying issue.
Signs to Look Out For
Other signs of a possible TMJ disorder include:
Any one of these symptoms on its own may have another explanation. However, if you are experiencing more than one—especially when they occur together with facial pain—it is worth having your TMJ properly assessed.
When Should You Get Your TMJ Checked?
If jaw pain, clicking, chewing discomfort, locking, headaches, ear pain, or neck and shoulder stiffness persist or occur together, a proper assessment can help determine whether the TMJ may be involved.
The diagnosis is where everything starts. At SameDay Dental Clinic, we assess TMJ symptoms to understand the problem before discussing the next steps.
Have questions about jaw pain, clicking, or other TMJ symptoms? Call 04 315 8300 and reach out to us at SameDay.
Dr. Indraniil Roy
BDS, MDS, MSc (Germany)
Specialist Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
Specialist Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
