“TMJ” is commonly used to describe pain in the temporomandibular joint; the joint connecting your jawbone to your skull. If it hurts to move your jaw to chew, talk, or yawn, you may have TMJ disorder or TMD. You may also hear popping or clicking noises. Frequent headaches may indicate a TMJ problem.
If you have pain around your jaw or you’re unable to move your jaw freely, you may suffer from TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder or TMD. The temporomandibular joint allows your jaw to slide and act as a hinge as you talk or eat, and it has tissues that pad the bones to prevent them from rubbing together. Any destruction of these tissues can cause pain or the inability to chew. The condition can be due to genetics, an injury, arthritis, connective tissue diseases, or habitually grinding or clenching your teeth. Dr. Postol can assess your symptoms, diagnose the cause, and provide a plan to relieve the problem.
Find out what you can do for your TMD.
What are the Symptoms of a TMJ Disorder (TMD)?
A TMJ disorder can cause aching pain or tenderness at the joint, in the jaw, in nearby areas of your face, or in and around your ear on one or both sides of your face. It can make chewing painful or difficult. It may interfere with your ability to open and close your mouth. A minor symptom is a grating sensation or clicking sound when you chew or open your mouth.
If you’re not experiencing pain along with the grating or clicking, you can probably manage your TMJ disorder without treatment. However, if your TMJ disorder causes issues when you’re chewing, it can interfere with your nutritional intake and affect your overall health. If you are dealing with persistent pain or tenderness or limited jaw mobility, make an appointment with Dr. Postol for a consultation. Dr. Postol will explain the symptoms you are experiencing and suggest a treatment that will relieve any discomfort and help the TMJ perform as intended.
How can we help you?
My jaw hurts constantly
My jaw hurts constantly
The most likely reason you’re hurting so much is because of a problem with the joint in your jaw, the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. You use your facial muscles for almost everything you do while interacting with others and the world around you, speaking, chewing, and even simply smiling. If being in pain has become a constant, daily experience, it’s time to find relief.
Symptoms of TMJ Disorder include pain & tenderness in the muscles and ligaments, in one or both jaw joints that restrict your jaw movement, up and down, side to side, and or cause increased pain while chewing, talking, and yawning. It can cause pain in other areas of your face, too. It can cause headaches, neck pain, and nerve pain. You might or might not hear or feel clicking or popping when you move your jaw.
If having constant pain is affecting your everyday life, come see Dr. Postol. Let’s find the cause and a solution.
My jaw hurts when I eat
My jaw hurts when I eat
Eating or chewing is when you’re putting the most pressure on your temporomandibular joint; the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. If you’re only in pain while chewing, it’s likely that the pressure combined with the movement of your jaw is exacerbating an underlying TMJ disorder. Any problems in that joint, surrounding muscles, or ligaments would cause pain while chewing and putting stress on those tissues.
It’s also possible that your bite, or the alignment of your teeth, is part of the problem. If your top teeth aren’t fitting with the bottom teeth when you bite down, you’re likely working harder to chew your food properly, leading to the pain and discomfort you’re feeling while eating.
I have popping and clicking
I have popping and clicking
The TMJ has muscles and ligaments that surround it, and a disc that helps the jaw move smoothly when you open and close your mouth. If the joint structures become misaligned, you will probably hear popping or clicking, and might even feel pain with it. The popping happens when the disc inside the joint moves out of its normal position and then pops back into place.
You might not be experiencing much pain in your jaw while it is popping or clicking, but if it is regularly present while eating, speaking, or otherwise using those muscles, the disc could be wearing down while it moves in and out of position, which could lead to a TMJ disorder that will need treatment.
If you do have pain, difficulty opening your mouth, or other symptoms besides popping and clicking in the jaw, please contact us for an appointment to evaluate what might be causing it.
I can’t open my mouth all the way
I can’t open my mouth all the way
TMJ disorders can cause a range of symptoms, like pain or tenderness in the jaw, clicking or popping, headaches, and restricted movement. Sometimes patients are unable to open their mouths widely, while others can only open their mouths by a few millimeters, which is when the condition has become serious enough to consider the necessity for immediate medical attention. There may be swelling, or an infection in the jaw. Sometimes trauma to the jaw may drastically restrict movement. Dysfunction in the joint is likely and requires treatment. Please contact us for an appointment. You are welcome to call with questions.
My jaw hurts constantly
The most likely reason you’re hurting so much is because of a problem with the joint in your jaw, the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. You use your facial muscles for almost everything you do while interacting with others and the world around you, speaking, chewing, and even simply smiling. If being in pain has become a constant, daily experience, it’s time to find relief.
Symptoms of TMJ Disorder include pain & tenderness in the muscles and ligaments, in one or both jaw joints that restrict your jaw movement, up and down, side to side, and or cause increased pain while chewing, talking, and yawning. It can cause pain in other areas of your face, too. It can cause headaches, neck pain, and nerve pain. You might or might not hear or feel clicking or popping when you move your jaw.
If having constant pain is affecting your everyday life, come see Dr. Postol. Let’s find the cause and a solution.
My jaw hurts when I eat
Eating or chewing is when you’re putting the most pressure on your temporomandibular joint; the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. If you’re only in pain while chewing, it’s likely that the pressure combined with the movement of your jaw is exacerbating an underlying TMJ disorder. Any problems in that joint, surrounding muscles, or ligaments would cause pain while chewing and putting stress on those tissues.
It’s also possible that your bite, or the alignment of your teeth, is part of the problem. If your top teeth aren’t fitting with the bottom teeth when you bite down, you’re likely working harder to chew your food properly, leading to the pain and discomfort you’re feeling while eating.
I have popping and clicking
The TMJ has muscles and ligaments that surround it, and a disc that helps the jaw move smoothly when you open and close your mouth. If the joint structures become misaligned, you will probably hear popping or clicking, and might even feel pain with it. The popping happens when the disc inside the joint moves out of its normal position and then pops back into place.
You might not be experiencing much pain in your jaw while it is popping or clicking, but if it is regularly present while eating, speaking, or otherwise using those muscles, the disc could be wearing down while it moves in and out of position, which could lead to a TMJ disorder that will need treatment.
If you do have pain, difficulty opening your mouth, or other symptoms besides popping and clicking in the jaw, please contact us for an appointment to evaluate what might be causing it.
I can’t open my mouth all the way
TMJ disorders can cause a range of symptoms, like pain or tenderness in the jaw, clicking or popping, headaches, and restricted movement. Sometimes patients are unable to open their mouths widely, while others can only open their mouths by a few millimeters, which is when the condition has become serious enough to consider the necessity for immediate medical attention. There may be swelling, or an infection in the jaw. Sometimes trauma to the jaw may drastically restrict movement. Dysfunction in the joint is likely and requires treatment. Please contact us for an appointment. You are welcome to call with questions.
What a great experience! EVERY ONE was so friendly and kind. It’s so wonderful that Dr. Postol takes real one on one time for each patient. It makes you feel comfortable and heard. I appreciated that so much!
Sasha R.
What Causes a TMJ Disorder?
There are many possible causes for a TMJ disorder. In fact, there are over 30 conditions or TMDs that cause TMJ pain. These conditions can affect the jaw joint, muscles, or both. One can inherit a predisposition for a TMD.
The TMJ both helps the jaw slide and acts as a hinge. The cartilage covering the jawbone and a small shock-absorbing disk that separates the bones prevent the jawbone from rubbing on the skull bone where the skull and jawbone connect.
Together, the cartilage and disk provide for smooth, pain-free movement. If the disk becomes misaligned or erodes, the bones rub together, resulting in pain and the lessened mobility of the TMJ.
In addition, arthritis and connective tissue diseases can damage the cartilage causing the bones to rub together.
A trauma such as an impact or other injury to the jaw can also result in TMJ syndrome or pain.
Habitual teeth grinding or clenching can also wear down the padding tissue.
Sometimes, it’s unclear what TMD has caused the TMJ issue. The symptoms of different TMDs can overlap, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause. Additionally, some individuals may have a combination of factors contributing to their TMJ problems, further complicating the diagnosis.
Dr. Postol uses various diagnostic tools, including physical exams, imaging studies, and sometimes dental molds or scans, to determine the underlying cause of TMJ issues. Despite these efforts, there are cases where the exact TMD causing the problem remains unclear. Even if the cause of a TMJ disorder is unknown, Dr. Postol can recommend a treatment to relieve the pain and improve jaw mobility issues.
You can develop a painful or jaw-mobility-limiting TMJ disorder at any time. Besides being painful and interfering with talking and eating, it can cause you to limit your nutritional intake and socializing. You don’t have to live with a TMJ disorder. You can make an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Postol and receive a treatment recommendation from him for your TMJ disorder.
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