If you suffer from a clicking jaw, even the simplest good morning greeting can be a source of irritation. It typically sounds like a clicking or popping coming from inside your head, either right beside or right above your ear. Sometimes, along with the popping or clicking sound, you may experience pain when you chew, or it may feel like your jaw has locked. You may also have headaches, or pain in other parts of your head or face. What causes these problems, and what should you do about it?
Bone and Tissue Issues Might be the Reason
Jaw clicking can have many different causes. If your jaw muscles are overstrained, that may result in asymmetrical retracting and stretching of those muscles. A misalignment of your jaw bones, or even degenerative bone and tissue disease can also cause your jaw to click. Even stress and other psychological issues have been found to cause clicking in some patients.
Dental Issue Can Also Cause Clicking
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there may be dental issues that are causing your jaw to click. Temporomandibular joint disorder is a common cause, so if you are also experiencing pain in your jaw when you chew, yawn, or otherwise move your jaw around, that may also be causing your jaw to click. Teeth grinding and malocclusion of your teeth (meaning, your upper and lower teeth don't align properly) might also be the cause. Even new dentures that you may not yet be used to, or that don't quite fit properly, may be causing your jaw to click.
We use our jaws so frequently, when there is something wrong with them, it can affect our entire wellbeing. To really determine what is causing your jaw to click or pop, it's is best to schedule an appointment so we can examine you.
If you suffer from a clicking jaw, even the simplest good morning greeting can be a source of irritation. It typically sounds like a clicking or popping coming from inside your head, either right beside or right above your ear. Sometimes, along with the popping or clicking sound, you may experience pain when you chew, or it may feel like your jaw has locked. You may also have headaches, or pain in other parts of your head or face. What causes these problems, and what should you do about it?
