Why Is My Jaw Stiff and Painful?
Pain in the jaw can have many causes, from injuries to dental problems. If you also have difficulty opening or moving your jaw, these could be signs of a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
To treat TMJ pain and stiffness effectively, your dentist will first need to identify the cause. Read more about the causes, symptoms and treatments for TMJ pain below and get in touch with our dentists in Mosman to discuss your situation and treatment options.
What is TMJ disorder?
The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are the joints that allow your jaw to move when you eat, talk, yawn and open and close your mouth. There’s one on each side of your head, in front of your ears. Strain and damage to these joints can affect their function, causing TMJ disorder or dysfunction (TMD).
Signs that you might have TMD can include:
- Pain in your jaw, ears or head
- Difficulty or stiffness when opening your mouth
- Difficulty closing your mouth, or your jaw locking
- Clicking, popping or grating noises when you move your jaw
- Headaches
These symptoms can range from mild to severe. Chronic TMJ may contribute to problems such as stress, depression and sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), so it’s important to seek treatment.
What causes TMJ pain?
TMJ dysfunction can happen when the joints are injured or damaged directly, or put under too much strain. This may happen due to:
- Teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism), sometimes caused by stress or anxiety
- Habits like biting nails and chewing objects
- A misaligned bite putting uneven pressure on the jaw
- An injury to the mouth, jaw or TMJ, such as a dislocated jaw disc
- Joint conditions such as arthritis damaging the joint or surrounding tissues
How is TMJ disorder treated?
TMJ treatment involves addressing the root cause of the problem as well as the symptoms you’ve experiencing. This can involve many different approaches, sometimes in combination, including:
- Home care: Practicing jaw relaxation exercises, trying to reduce stress and anxiety and not overexerting your jaw could help to ease mild TMJ pain.
- Oral advancement splint: For more severe TMJ issues, your dentist might prescribe a device similar to a mouthguard that’s worn over your teeth at night and helps to rest your jaw.
- Bruxism treatment: If TMJ pain is related to tooth grinding or clenching, your dentist may provide a night guard to prevent grinding during sleep, or may recommend stress and anxiety management services.
- Dental or orthodontic treatment: If you have worn, damaged or misaligned teeth, your dentist might suggest treatments such as crowns, braces or aligners to restore your smile and ease strain on your jaw.
- Jaw surgery: In rare cases, minor surgery may be necessary to treat the jaw joints or surrounding tissues and restore their normal function.
Book an appointment today
Our dentists at Mosman 3D Dental have extensive experience treating TMJ disorders and related issues. If you’re suffering with jaw pain, stiffness or any other symptoms, call our friendly team today on (02) 9969 8610 or book online.