TMJ Pain

Symptoms

– Limited Jaw movement

– Difficulty in opening of mouth.

– A ‘stuck’ or ‘locked’ jaw.

– Clicking, Grating or popping noises from jaw joints.

– pain when chewing, yawning or opening the jaw widely.

– Headaches and occasionally migraine– like headaches and nausea.

– Earaches, loss of hearing or ringing in the ears.

– Face, neck, back and shoulder pain.

– A feeling of muscle spasms.

– Toothaches.

– Clenching and grinding of teeth.

– An uncomfortable bite or ‘occlusion’.

The jaw joint also known as the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) allows your jaw to open, close and move to the side and forward. It allows for you to complete movements such as talking, chewing and yawning.

Unfortunately as it is one of the most frequently used joints in the body, it is susceptible to having disorders that can affect either one or both of the jaws joints often causing pain and limiting aw function.

Some symptoms of TMJ pain are only temporary and go away with time, however there are many cases where treatment is needed.

Causes and symptoms of TMJ disorders

– Missing teeth

– Grinding or clenching of teeth, which can be linked to stress

– Emotional or physical stress and tension in the jaw muscles

– Injuries such as fractures or dislocations o the TMJ.

– Degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

– Wrongly shaped dental fillings, crowns or bridges

Disc or menicus displacement