About Common Jaw Problems

Overview

The jaw is a complicated part of the body. It consists of two joints, ligaments and muscles. When something goes wrong with your jaw, a dentist or other physician will call it a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD or TMJ). The medical term for the jaw is temporomandibular joint. It is important to seek medical attention as soon as you realize you have a problem with your jaw because left untreated, TMJ disorders can lead to serious health issues.

Symptoms

Any pain felt when chewing, yawning or opening your mouth wide can be indicative of TMJ. Jaw disorders can also cause facial pain, earache and neck or shoulder pain. Also, you may hear a click or pop when moving your jaw. Facial spasms may be a symptom of TMJ. Any unusual feeling when the jaw is moved can be a sign of a jaw disorder.

Causes

There are two main causes of jaw problems: injury and disease. The joint itself may be affected or the muscle ligaments of the jaw. Stress and teeth clenching can put damaging pressure on the jaw. Injuries can impair ligament or let the disk inside the jaw joint move out of position. Jaws can become dislocated due to trauma. Arthritis of jaw joints, sinus infections, tooth decay and periodontal disease are other factors that can cause TMJ.

Treatment

Proper treatment depends on identifying exactly what has gone wrong with the jaw. A dentist will perform a thorough exam that includes X-rays. Based on his findings, the dentist will prescribe a treatment plan. This can be as simple as giving muscle relaxants or as complex as a surgical procedure. Get a second opinion if surgery is recommended. If your dentist is unsure of the cause of your jaw problem or if it is too complex for him to deal with, he may refer you to a TMJ specialist.

Self Care

If you experience problems with your jaw there are several things you can do to help alleviate the condition. Practice holding your jaw without placing stress on it by keeping your mouth closed but your teeth slightly apart. Do not sleep on your stomach as this position puts stress on the jaw joint. Eat soft food and take care not to exaggerate your chewing so that the jaw is overworked. Apply ice and heat at 15-minute intervals to the jaw area to relieve pain. Invest in a dental mouth guard. Ask your dentist or orthodontist to custom fit a guard for your mouth that realigns your jaw.

Prevention

Persons seeking to prevent problems with TMJ should maintain good posture and perform jaw exercises daily. These exercises can include opening your mouth slowly and widely and then closing it, placing your hand under your chin using slight resistance while you open and close your jaw, and moving your jaw to the left as far as comfortable and then to the right. These exercises should be performed 10 times each.