You’re eating a bagel. Or maybe you’re just yawning. And then you hear it. A little click. A pop. Maybe it doesn’t hurt yet. Maybe it’s just annoying. So you ignore it. Most people do. But that click is your jaw joint trying to tell you something. And as dentists, we’re trained to listen.
Your Jaw Is a Complicated Piece of Machinery
Your jaw joint is called the TMJ, short for temporomandibular joint. It’s located right in front of your ear on each side of your head. Unlike your knee or your elbow, which mostly hinge open and closed, your jaw joint can move in multiple directions. It slides, rotates, and pivots. It’s doing all of this while you talk, chew, swallow, and breathe. It’s one of the hardest-working joints in your body.
Between the ball of your jawbone and the socket sits a small disc made of cartilage. That disc acts like a cushion. It keeps the bones from grinding against each other. When everything is aligned and working together, you don’t notice any of it. You just eat your bagel and go about your day.
But when that disc slips out of place, even a little, you get that click. The joint is essentially telling you that something is out of sync.
Why the Click Happens
That clicking sound usually means the disc is popping in and out of position as you open or close your mouth. A few things could cause it:
- You grind your teeth at night
- You clench your jaw when you’re stressed
- Your bite is off by just a millimeter, and your jaw has been compensating for years
- You have an old filling or crown that’s slightly too high, and your jaw has been shifting around it without you ever realizing it.
That click might not hurt right now. Many people live with jaw clicking for years and never feel pain. But that doesn’t mean damage isn’t happening. Over time, the disc can wear down. The joint can become inflamed. You might start getting headaches. Earaches. Neck pain. Worn-down teeth. Even changes in how your teeth fit together.
What Your Dentist Can See That You Can’t
This is where a comprehensive exam makes a difference. When we look at your bite, we’re not just checking for cavities. We’re:
- Watching how your jaw moves
- Feeling the muscles around your jaw for tension
- Listening for sounds when you open and close
- Looking at the wear patterns on your teeth, which can tell us if your bite has been uneven for a long time.
This is the kind of thing Dr. Ruby trained for at the Dawson Academy. The Dawson approach focuses on the whole system. Your teeth, gums, jaw joints, and muscles all need to work together. If one part is off, the rest of the system pays the price. Many dentists treat the symptom. We want to find the cause.
What We Can Do About It
If we find that your bite is contributing to jaw pain or clicking, we have options. Sometimes a simple adjustment to a high filling or crown can make a big difference. Sometimes a nightguard can protect your teeth and give your jaw muscles a chance to relax. In more complex cases, we might recommend orthodontics or a full bite reconstruction to get everything aligned properly.
You don’t have to live with that click forever. And you definitely don’t have to wait until it starts hurting to do something about it. If your jaw clicks, pops, or feels sore, request an appointment online. We’ll take a look at the whole picture and help you understand what’s going on. Your jaw has been trying to tell you something. We’re here to help you figure out what.