Jaw pain, stiffness, or trouble opening your mouth can make eating and talking uncomfortable. These symptoms may be related to a temporomandibular disorder, or TMD, which affects the jaw joints, chewing muscles, or both.
Clicking or popping without pain is common and usually doesn’t require treatment. However, persistent pain, locking, or limited jaw movement should be evaluated by a dentist or healthcare provider.
This guide explains what TMJ disorder is, which symptoms to watch for, and which treatments may help.
What Is TMJ Disorder?
TMJ is the temporomandibular joint. There’s one on each side of your face, just in front of your ears. These joints connect your lower jaw, called the mandible, to the temporal bones of your skull and help you speak, chew, and yawn.
TMDs, or temporomandibular disorders, cause pain or problems with the jaw joints and the muscles that control jaw movement. Although people commonly say “TMJ disorder,” TMD is the clinical term for the condition.
TMDs may involve:
- The jaw joint, including the cushioning disc inside it
- The chewing muscles
- Headaches associated with a TMD
- More than one of these problems at the same time
Some TMDs are temporary, while others can cause chronic pain or ongoing difficulty moving the jaw.
What Causes TMJ Disorder?
The exact cause of a TMD is often unclear. Symptoms may begin without an obvious trigger, and there may be several contributing factors.
Possible contributors include:
- An injury to the jaw or temporomandibular joint
- Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or another joint condition
- Bruxism, which includes teeth grinding or clenching
- Repeated tension in the jaw or chewing muscles
- Psychological or life stressors
- Differences in how the nervous system processes pain
Stress may increase clenching or grinding, which can strain the jaw muscles and make existing symptoms worse. However, stress doesn’t explain every TMD.
Some people with TMDs also have headaches, back pain, sleep problems, or fibromyalgia. That doesn’t necessarily mean one condition caused the other.
What Are the Common Symptoms of TMJ Disorder?
Common symptoms include:
- Jaw pain or tenderness
- Jaw stiffness, locking, or limited movement
- Muscle spasms or tightness around the jaw
- Facial pain or pain that spreads into the neck
- Clicking, popping, or grinding accompanied by pain
- Pain or difficulty while chewing
- Headaches
- Earaches, ringing in the ears, or dizziness
- A change in how your upper and lower teeth fit together
Jaw sounds without pain are common and don’t automatically mean you have a TMD. A dentist or healthcare provider will consider the sounds along with pain, movement problems, and other symptoms.
What Can Make TMD Symptoms Worse?
Habits that place extra strain on the jaw or chewing muscles may worsen symptoms, especially during a flare-up.
These may include:
- Chewing gum for long periods
- Eating hard, tough, or chewy foods
- Clenching your teeth during the day
- Grinding your teeth while sleeping
- Biting your nails or chewing on pens
- Opening your mouth very wide
- Holding tension in your jaw during stressful situations
At rest, your teeth generally shouldn’t touch. Relaxing your jaw and reducing habits that overwork it may help ease discomfort.
Can Children Develop TMJ Disorders?
Yes. Children and adolescents occasionally have TMDs, but the symptoms and possible causes can be different in children than in adults.
A child should be evaluated if they have ongoing jaw pain, painful clicking, trouble chewing, limited movement, or their jaw locks. Teeth grinding or a previous jaw injury may also be relevant. A dentist or pediatric dentist can examine the jaw and check for other dental or medical causes.
How Is TMJ Disorder Diagnosed?
There isn’t a standard test for diagnosing TMD. Your dentist or healthcare provider will review your symptoms and medical history and may ask:
- Where the pain is located and when it began
- What makes it better or worse
- Whether your jaw clicks, locks, or has limited movement
- Whether you grind or clench your teeth
- Whether you have headaches or another chronic pain condition
During the physical exam, the provider may check your head, neck, face, and jaw for tenderness, muscle tightness, joint sounds, and limited movement.
Imaging isn’t always necessary. An X-ray, MRI, or CT scan may be recommended for a closer look at the jawbone, joint disc, or surrounding structures. Other dental, ear, nerve, or pain conditions may also need to be ruled out.
How Are TMDs Treated?
Treatment depends on your symptoms and whether the condition affects the jaw joint, the chewing muscles, or both. Because many TMDs are temporary, care usually begins with conservative options that don’t permanently change the teeth, bite, or joint.
Initial treatment may include:
- Eat soft foods temporarily
- Avoid chewing gum and hard or chewy foods
- Apply heat or cold as directed
- Perform gentle jaw exercises recommended by your provider
- Use relaxation techniques to reduce jaw tension
- Reduce clenching, nail biting, and similar habits
- Take a short course of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, such as ibuprofen, if it’s safe for you
If symptoms continue, your dentist or healthcare provider may recommend:
- Physical therapy to improve movement and reduce muscle pain
- Behavioral techniques such as biofeedback or cognitive behavioral therapy
- Prescription medication for pain, muscle spasms, or another symptom
- A custom mouth guard or nightguard if grinding is damaging your teeth or contributing to jaw tension
Nightguards, splints, and occlusal splints fit over the teeth and shouldn’t permanently change your bite. Evidence that they relieve TMD pain is limited, so if your appliance causes pain or worsens your symptoms, stop using it and contact your provider immediately.
Muscle relaxants or certain antidepressants may be prescribed for muscle spasms or chronic pain. Acupuncture has also been studied, but evidence that it helps TMD symptoms is limited.
Are Procedures or Surgery Needed for TMD?
Most people begin with nonsurgical care. Procedures are considered only for specific joint problems or severe symptoms that haven’t improved with simpler treatment.
Possible procedures include:
- Arthrocentesis, which uses fluid to flush the joint
- Arthroscopy, which uses a small camera to examine or treat the joint
- Open joint surgery in uncommon, severe situations
Because surgery permanently changes the joint, it should only be considered for serious joint damage or severe symptoms after nonsurgical options have been tried. Be sure to ask about the risks, expected benefit, and alternatives, and consider getting a second opinion.
When Should You See a Dentist or Healthcare Provider?
Schedule an evaluation if:
- Jaw pain persists, worsens, or interferes with eating or sleeping
- Your jaw locks or you can’t open or close it normally
- Clicking or popping is painful
- You regularly wake up with jaw soreness or headaches
- Chewing has become difficult
- Your bite suddenly feels different
- Symptoms began after a jaw injury
- Earaches, facial pain, or headaches continue without another clear cause
Jaw and facial pain aren’t always caused by a TMD. An evaluation can help identify the source and determine whether you need at-home care, dental treatment, physical therapy, medication, imaging, or a referral.
Ideal Dental provides general dental evaluations, and some locations offer TMJ-related services. Availability varies, so find an Ideal Dental location near you to ask about jaw pain evaluation and treatment options.
Frequently asked questions
What is TMJ disorder?
TMJ is the temporomandibular joint, located on each side of the face just in front of the ears, connecting the lower jaw to the skull. TMDs, or temporomandibular disorders, cause pain or problems with the jaw joints and the muscles that control jaw movement, and may involve the joint, the chewing muscles, associated headaches, or a combination of these.
What causes TMJ disorder?
The exact cause is often unclear, but possible contributors include an injury to the jaw, arthritis or another joint condition, teeth grinding or clenching, repeated muscle tension, psychological stressors, and differences in how the nervous system processes pain. Stress may increase clenching or grinding and worsen symptoms, though it doesn't explain every case.
What are the common symptoms of TMJ disorder?
Common symptoms include jaw pain or tenderness, stiffness or locking, muscle spasms, facial pain that spreads into the neck, painful clicking or popping, headaches, earaches, and a change in how the teeth fit together. Jaw sounds without pain are common and don't automatically indicate a TMD.
What can make TMD symptoms worse?
Habits that strain the jaw can worsen symptoms, including chewing gum for long periods, eating hard or chewy foods, clenching or grinding teeth, biting nails or pens, and opening the mouth very wide. Relaxing the jaw and reducing habits that overwork it may help ease discomfort.
Can children develop TMJ disorders?
Yes, children and adolescents occasionally have TMDs, though symptoms and causes can differ from adults. A child should be evaluated for ongoing jaw pain, painful clicking, trouble chewing, limited movement, or jaw locking.
How is TMJ disorder diagnosed?
There isn't a standard test for diagnosing TMD. A provider will review your symptoms and medical history, perform a physical exam checking for tenderness and limited movement, and may recommend imaging like an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan for a closer look at the jaw structures, though imaging isn't always necessary.
How are TMDs treated?
Initial treatment usually involves conservative options like eating soft foods, avoiding hard or chewy foods, applying heat or cold, gentle jaw exercises, and short-term NSAID use. If symptoms continue, options may include physical therapy, behavioral techniques, prescription medication, or a custom nightguard, though evidence for nightguards relieving TMD pain is limited.
Are procedures or surgery needed for TMD?
Most people begin with nonsurgical care, and procedures are considered only for specific joint problems or severe symptoms that haven't improved with simpler treatment. Possible procedures include arthrocentesis, arthroscopy, and open joint surgery in uncommon, severe situations.
When should you see a dentist or healthcare provider for TMJ symptoms?
Schedule an evaluation if jaw pain persists or worsens, your jaw locks, clicking or popping is painful, you regularly wake up with jaw soreness or headaches, chewing has become difficult, or your bite suddenly feels different. An evaluation can help identify the source and determine the right treatment.