Do your hear a clicking sound every time you jaw pops?
Is it often accompanied by sensations of pain?
This might be happening if your jaw is overextending when you open your mouth for yawning or eating.
Common Causes of Jaw Popping
The popping sound might be due to pain coming from your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The TMJ connects your jaw to your skull. You might be suffering from trauma or dislocation of the TMJ which has lead to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).
One of the most common symptoms of TMD is painful clicking or popping when you open or close your mouth. This will be coupled with restricted movement of your jaw, changes in the way your upper and lower teeth fit together and general jaw pain are the main symptoms of TMD.
The other causes of jaw popping include:
You might be dealing with a lot of stress that is causing you to develop parafunctional habits like using your mouth or teeth in ways beyond intended functions, like chewing food. Even if you have misaligned teeth, or an untreated cavity, or an impacted wisdom tooth, then you are in danger of developing jaw pain.
Most of the times, jaw popping is temporary and goes away with medication. But if you experiencing these symptoms because of a more serious disorder, then you might need to take more serious action:
Arthritis:
If you have either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, both of these cases will result in cartilage damage in TMJ and make jaw moments extremely difficult. This can also cause a popping and clicking sensation in the jaw. Other symptoms of arthritis include joint pain, stiffness, inflammation and a reduced range of motion.
Malocclusion
If you have a popping and locking sound in your jaw because of a jaw misalignment, it’s recommended that you visit the dentist immediately. Bad bites or malocclusions are a result of your teeth not aligning properly. Bad bites can come in various forms, like an overbite, underbite or a crossbite.
Jaw Injury
A jaw dislocation can cause a popping and locking sound. It is important to seek medical treatment for your jaw injury, especially if there is bleeding, bruising or swelling.
TMJ Diagnosis
Here are the symptoms that your dentist will consider for diagnosing you with TMD:
– Your dentist will probably observe your jaw and feel for tightness or tenderness in the facial muscles.
– Your dentist may also suggest a panoramic X-ray to rule out a serious joint issue.
– Your dentist might also suggest a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or a cat scan (CT) for a complete diagnosis.
If you are having TMJ problems, then you can expect Dr. Joshua Hong, your cosmetic dentist in Goodyear to book an appointment. Book an appointment today to get the smile makeover you always wanted.