Jaw pain and how to get rid of it
Jaw pain can make speaking, eating and even sleeping difficult. It can cause pain in the Temporo-mandibular Joint (TMJ), face muscles, and even cause other issues such as headaches or migraines.
Jaw pain can be caused by a number of different things, including:
- Teeth grinding
- Teeth clenching
- Habits involving the jaws, such as singing, pencil biting, playing violin or viola
- Disorders of the TMJ (e.g. trauma, growth problems, assymetries and other pathologies)
- Stress (often causing teeth grinding/clenching)
If you have jaw pain, it’s important to first discuss this with your dentist. Your dentist can help you to decide if they can help you with your jaw pain (if it is fairly minor), or whether you may need to see a dental specialist whose area is disorders of the TMJ.
Figuring out the cause of the pain (if possible), is crucial to treatment being successful. Your dentist may need to gather information and investigate the head and neck area to ascertain the cause of the pain. This usually involves x-rays, but can also include 3D imaging to visualise all the structures of the head and neck.
Once a diagnosis has been reached, treatment options can be discussed. Some treatment options for jaw pain include the following:
- Muscle relaxant injections to help reduce teeth grinding/clenching
- A night guard to help with teeth grinding/clenching
- Habit cessation
- Jaw exercises
- Massage
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication
- Medications to help reduce anxiety or stress
It’s important to discuss your concerns about jaw pain as early as you notice symptoms. Jaw pain can not only affect your quality of life, it can also cause damage to your teeth and/or fillings if you are grinding or clenching your teeth. This habit is often sub-conscious, occurring at night-time. To find out if you might be grinding or clenching your teeth, click here.
To discuss your concerns about jaw pain with our experienced Claremont dentists, please call us on 6143 5655. You can also book an appointment online with our female dentist, Dr Jade, or our male dentist, Dr Steve by clicking here.
