Clicking in My Jaw

Mine does too, I have TMJ as well. My dentist is actually the one that told me I have it. Do you chew gum? That makes mine worse.

I am doing PT for jaw arthritis right now. Mine clicks if I move it side to side on the left. I have a hard time with dental appts and things take forever to heal in my mouth. Its just all over sensitive in there. I also have migraines, so add that neck and head junk in there.

PT gal is fantastic, and all the literature recommends a softer foods diet, small bites, chewing on BOTH sides (Not favoring one and overworking it), using heat every single night (I prefer my heating pad but she said moist heat is better and I got a long microwavable lavender scented heat thing at Bed, Bath and Beyond for about $12...its made for neck/shoulders, so is longer and will wrap around my face (I look like an old fashioned tooth ache patient! LOL) but the every evening heat application really has made a difference.

I also have some exercises and techniques to attempt to relax and strengthen my jaw. It is all helping!

My dentist had sent me to a "head and neck pain clinic" due to a differnt tooth issue we could not resolve..in addition to my oversensitive healing issue overall...and this is what was determined to be an issue as well.

If its not overly painful, I recommend trying some of the suggestions here, and asking your dentist when you do see him. He may refer you to a specialist for an evaluation.

EDIT~ Like others said after me...NO GUM or chewy candy, etc. NONE. If you need freshening, buy mints to suck on. Cut your food into small bites...and I mean small. and eat softer foods overall (this is where I have a hard time as I love salad and between my jaw and the sensitive teeth/can't "tear" foods apart well...I haven't had one for months...=( Just be conscious of not overtaxing your jaw. It all adds up and really does seem to make a big difference for me.
Good luck!

i have not read your other responses but mine does that to and i have TMJ. My dentist could really notice it my last appt. If it gets to bad there are options for it. Mine isnt horrible but i do have issues. i have more issues with it if im stressed out, or chew gum, etc. i cant eat things that are real hard to chew. It hurts to keep my mouth open for to long at the dentist, i cant chew gum for long periods of time. I would not worry a ton about it but definatly bring it up to your dentist at your next appt.

Same thing happens to me, too. It's in both sides of my jaw but worse on the right. I told my dentist about it. He felt of my jaw and said yeah, I have a little TMJ dysfunction, but it's not bad and did I think I could live with it? So I said yeah, probably not a big deal, except every once in a while I have to use my hand to sort of move my jaw back into alignment so my mouth can open all the way.

Anyway, I also had some crooked, crowded teeth, and when I started looking into braces and such, I found that the only way my insurance would help pay for it at my age was if I had a TMJD diagnosis (from my PCP and not my dentist, oddly). So I got it, and now I'm almost done with the Invisalign process, and my TMJD doesn't seem any better for it. I had a dentist appt yesterday and asked him about it. He said when I'm completely done with the Invisalign, they'll do an "equilibration" on my jaw and basically realign it so it doesn't pop. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you need braces or something, you may be able to get your teeth straightened and your jaw realigned, and your insurance might help pay for it. I have Health Choice Dental.

I have the same issue. I was diagnosed with TMJ but since I don't have pain and it does not interfere with eating or what have you, I don't need to worry about it. I was told there could be problems later. I do tend to clench my teeth (grinding or clenching teeth usually go hand in hand with TMJ) and do exercises for my jaw to try to relax it.

Mine does that. It is from TMJ. Mine is not bad enough to do anything about.

It's TMJ (or TMJD), which is Temporal-Mandibular Joint Dysfunction. Do you have headaches or pain in your jaw, ear, neck or shoulder? Does your jaw ever "lock" (get stuck open or closed)? Do you grind your teeth at night? Does your jaw ever jump involuntarily?

TMJD is common in women of childbearing age. I got it pretty severely after my first son was born but didn't seek out treatment for a couple of years. My first referral from my PCP was to an oral surgeon who was a total jerk. He didn't take any x-rays and basically said that everyone's jaw clicks and that if I was in pain, he could refer me to a pain management support group. I later got a referral to another oral surgeon from my dentist and he was WONDERFUL. At the first appointment, he took x-rays that clearly showed all of the damage in the joint (miniscus out of place, cartilage destroyed, etc.). I was fitted for a mouth guard to wear at night, then did PT (electro stimulation of the muscles) and finally had a procedure done called atrhro-centesis, in which I was sedated in the office and he pried my jaw open and guided it into proper alignment, inserted a needle and lubricated the joint, moved the miniscus back into place, and finished with a cortisone shot. That was 10 years ago and I have been symptom-free ever since.

A lot of people have clicking without issues and don't need to be treated, but if you are having pain or it annoys you, ask your dentist for a referral to an oral surgeon and get it checked out. An evaluation can tell you whether or not it's just an annoyance or if the joint is being damaged and if there are signs of damage, you can come up with a treatment plan to prevent it from getting worse.

I have a similar condition to TMJ that makes my jaw click. I've always had a poppy jaw, since I was a kid. Mine is on the right side, and it gives me mastoiditis occasionally (the mastoid process bone behind my ear swells and makes the whole right side of my head hurt when touched). It also gives me headaches sometimes and ear pain. Sometimes it hurts to eat and going to the dentist is a pain, literally, to keep my mouth open so long. One week I had to drink slim fast because I couldn't chew! Great for weight loss! Ha.

Having said all that, nobody I've talked to has been super concerned about it. I do have a mouthguard so I don't grind at night (well, so I don't grind on my teeth, I grind on the plastic instead). You should ask your dentist, and he may refer you to a oral maxillofacial surgeon. I've seen 3, one of them told me not to chew hard things (great advice! geesh!), one recommended a mouth guard, and one recommended physical therapy. Unfortunately the therapy is not covered by insurance and I don't think my mouthguard was either. If it's not too bothersome you may want to just not eat Tootsie rolls and don't open too wide and see if you can deal. If it does get worse and causes annoying problems you can go see a specialist (also usually not covered and can be about $300 - $400 for a consultation). I hope that helps!

Basic advice - get your dentist's opinion, but if it's not too bad, wait it out unless you have a lot of time and money to spend on your jaw.

Mine does that , always has, my hygienist told me it was TMJ.

Chiropractors can help you with TMJ also.

Sounds like you might have an alignment issue with the TMJ (temporomandibular joint). Physical therapy with specific soft tissue mobilization to the masseter and pterygoid (these muscles help you open and close the jaw and can get very tight causing the jaw to misalign a little and create the clicking). Gentle distraction and joint mobilization specifically to the OA joint (cervical spine) and to the mandible along with muscle re-education for proper opening and closing in neutral is helpful as well. Let me know if you need help since I am a PT and I have experience in treating these types of issues. Sometimes your dentist will prescribe a device to wear at night to prevent damage to the teeth and gums if you are clenching. Be sure to practice assuming a neutral position of your jaw-tongue up, teeth apart, lips together. Avoid chewing on gum or anything else for long periods and try not to bite into really hard foods until you get treatment.