5 Signs Your Jaw Pain Stems from TMJ Dysfunction

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) happens when one or both jaw joints are misaligned, resulting in irritation, inflammation, and pain. While as many as 70% of people have some degree of TMD, only about 5-12% of those people have symptoms that require treatment. Knowing those symptoms can help you seek treatment as soon as possible.

At Nova Dental Partners, our team offers tailored therapies for patients with TMD near Woodbridge, Fairfax, and Alexandria, treating the underlying cause of symptoms for long-term, meaningful relief. Here, learn about five signs that could mean your jaw discomfort is related to a problem with your jaw joints.

1. Jaw clicking

Many people with TMD have clicking or popping sounds when they chew, yawn, or open their mouths wide. Sometimes, “sticking” sensations that make normal jaw function feel rough or clunky instead of smooth accompany the audible symptoms.

These sounds happen because TMD temporarily misaligns your jaw joints. Chewing or opening your mouth wide pulls the joint out of alignment, and the clicking occurs as the jaw tries to settle back into its normal position, “catching” along the way.

2. Problems opening or closing your mouth

Difficulty opening your mouth wide is another potential symptom of TMD. Even though your jaw joint is designed to open wide, inflammation inside the joint space can interfere with jaw function, making it difficult or impossible to open your mouth to its full extent — even when you yawn. 

Sometimes, stiffness inside the jaw due to joint misalignment can cause it to remain open temporarily. Severe TMD can also lead to muscle spasms that can interfere with normal jaw movement.

3. Facial swelling

Facial swelling around the jaw area is often associated with problems like abscesses, broken teeth, or gum disease, but TMD may also be the culprit.

When the temporomandibular joints are irritated and misaligned, inflammation occurs in the tissues inside the joint and surrounding tissue. In some instances, swelling or puffiness may be associated with increased warmth in the area or mild redness.

4. Headaches or earaches

Your temporomandibular joint is close to your ear and its internal structures. When the TMJ is inflamed, it makes sense that it can also cause inflammation and discomfort in the surrounding area.

Depending on your facial anatomy, the severity of your TMD, and other factors, you may experience ear pain, ringing or buzzing noises in your ear, or persistent facial pain. Ongoing tension in your jaw muscles can also lead to tension headaches.

5. Bite problems

Your bite mechanics depend on optimal tooth alignment. When those mechanics shift or change — even slightly — they can lead to painful problems with biting, chewing, and even speaking.

While TMD is one possible cause of bite-related problems, many other issues can cause similar problems, including missing teeth, crooked teeth, damaged teeth, and even oral cancer. Any changes in how you bite or chew should be evaluated immediately.

Our team offers multiple treatment options for TMD, allowing us to tailor your care to your specific needs, including the type of symptoms and underlying cause of your jaw dysfunction. To learn how we can help you, call the office nearest you or request an appointment online with the team at Nova Dental Partners today.