Understanding Sore Jaw When Chewing: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention
Experiencing a sore jaw when chewing can be an incredibly frustrating and painful ordeal. Whether it manifests as a dull ache or a sharp, shooting pain, this condition can significantly impact your daily life. At Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari’s practice, we specialize in diagnosing and treating jaw pain, particularly issues related to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. This blog aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of why your jaw might hurt when chewing, the potential treatments available, and how you can prevent this discomfort in the future.
Common Causes of Jaw Pain When Chewing
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders
The temporomandibular joints are the hinges that connect your jawbone to your skull. They play a crucial role in allowing your jaw to move smoothly for activities like chewing, speaking, and yawning. TMJ disorders can arise from various factors, including:
- Bruxism (Teeth Grinding): Chronic teeth grinding, especially at night, can put excessive strain on the TMJ, leading to pain and inflammation.
- Arthritis: Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis can affect the TMJ, causing joint degeneration and pain.
- Injury: Trauma to the jaw or head can damage the TMJ or the surrounding muscles, leading to pain when chewing.
- Misalignment: Malocclusion or misalignment of the teeth can cause the jaw to work harder, leading to TMJ pain.
Other Dental Issues
Jaw pain when chewing isn’t always related to TMJ disorders. Other dental problems can also be culprits, including:
- Tooth Infections: An abscessed tooth or severe tooth decay can cause referred pain to the jaw.
- Gum Disease: Advanced gum disease can affect the tissues and bones that support your teeth, potentially causing jaw pain.
- Dental Work: Recent dental procedures or ill-fitting dental appliances can temporarily cause jaw discomfort.
Muscle Strain
The muscles around the jaw, known as the masticatory muscles, can become strained or fatigued from overuse. This can result from excessive chewing (e.g., gum chewing), talking for extended periods, or habitual nail-biting.
Symptoms to Watch For
Understanding the symptoms associated with jaw pain can help you determine whether you need to seek professional help. Common symptoms include:
- Pain or tenderness in the jaw, especially when chewing or speaking
- Difficulty or discomfort while opening or closing your mouth
- Clicking, popping, or grating sounds when moving your jaw
- Headaches or earaches, often mistaken for other conditions
- Swelling on the side of the face
If you experience any of these symptoms, especially if they persist or worsen, it’s essential to consult a TMJ specialist like Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari to receive an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Diagnosing Jaw Pain
Diagnosing the cause of jaw pain involves a thorough evaluation by a qualified TMJ specialist. Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari uses a combination of patient history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests to pinpoint the underlying issue. Key steps in the diagnostic process may include:
- Medical History: Reviewing your medical and dental history, including any recent injuries or dental work.
- Physical Examination: Assessing the range of motion of your jaw, checking for tenderness or swelling, and listening for joint noises.
- Imaging: Utilizing X-rays, MRI, or CT scans to get a detailed view of the TMJ and surrounding structures.
- Bite Analysis: Evaluating your bite alignment to identify any malocclusions contributing to the pain.
Treatment Options for Jaw Pain
Once the cause of your jaw pain has been determined, an appropriate treatment plan can be developed. Treatment options vary depending on the underlying condition but may include:
TMJ Treatment
For TMJ disorders, Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari offers a range of treatments tailored to your specific needs, including:
- Medications: Over-the-counter pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, or muscle relaxants to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation.
- Physical Therapy: Exercises and stretches designed to strengthen the jaw muscles, improve flexibility, and reduce tension.
- Dental Splints or Mouthguards: Custom-made appliances to prevent teeth grinding and provide jaw support.
- Injections: Corticosteroid or Botox injections to reduce inflammation and relieve muscle tension.
- Surgery: In severe cases, surgical interventions such as arthrocentesis, arthroscopy, or open-joint surgery may be necessary.
Addressing Other Dental Issues
If your jaw pain is related to dental problems, appropriate treatments may include:
- Dental Fillings or Root Canals: To address tooth decay or infections.
- Scaling and Root Planing: For treating gum disease.
- Adjusting Dental Work: Correcting or replacing ill-fitting dental appliances.
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
In addition to professional treatments, there are several self-care measures you can take to manage jaw pain and prevent its recurrence:
- Apply Cold or Heat Packs: Use ice packs to reduce inflammation or warm compresses to relax tense muscles.
- Practice Good Posture: Maintaining proper posture can help reduce strain on your jaw and neck muscles.
- Avoid Hard or Chewy Foods: Stick to soft foods to minimize jaw strain.
- Manage Stress: Stress can exacerbate teeth grinding and jaw tension, so practices like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises can be beneficial.
- Perform Jaw Exercises: Gentle stretching and strengthening exercises can improve jaw function and reduce pain.
Preventing Jaw Pain
Prevention is always better than cure. Here are some tips to help prevent jaw pain:
- Regular Dental Checkups: Routine visits to your dentist can help catch and address potential issues early.
- Wear a Mouthguard: If you grind your teeth at night, a custom-fitted mouthguard can protect your teeth and TMJ.
- Avoid Overuse: Limit activities that strain your jaw, such as excessive gum chewing or nail-biting.
- Maintain Good Oral Hygiene: Keeping your teeth and gums healthy can prevent many dental problems that contribute to jaw pain.
- Stay Hydrated: Dehydration can lead to muscle cramps and tension, so drink plenty of water.
When to Seek Professional Help
While some cases of jaw pain can be managed with self-care and lifestyle changes, it’s important to seek professional help if:
- Pain persists for more than a few days
- You experience significant difficulty or discomfort when moving your jaw
- Over-the-counter medications do not relieve your pain
- You notice swelling or changes in your bite
Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari, a renowned TMJ specialist, is dedicated to providing comprehensive care for patients suffering from jaw pain. With his expertise in TMJ treatment, you can expect a thorough evaluation, accurate diagnosis, and effective treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Conclusion
Jaw pain when chewing can be a debilitating condition, but with the right diagnosis and treatment, relief is possible. By understanding the common causes, symptoms, and treatment options, you can take proactive steps to manage your jaw pain and improve your quality of life. If you are experiencing persistent jaw pain, don’t hesitate to reach out to Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari for expert care and support.
About Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari
Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari is a board-certified TMJ and Oral Facial Pain specialist. He focuses his practice on TMJ disorders, oral pain, facial pain and associated headaches. He treats patients in New York City. His practice is conveniently located in midtown Manhattan three blocks from Grand Central Terminal and Bryant Park.
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
- Treasurer and Committee Chair, NYU Dentistry Alumni Association
- Diplomate, American Board of Orofacial Pain
- Fellow, American Academy of Orofacial Pain
- Chair of Membership Committee, American Academy of Orofacial Pain
Dr. Nojan shares his in-depth knowledge of the TMJ, oral and facial pain as Assistant Clinical Professor at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. He taught for 5 years at Yale-New Haven Hospital as a clinical attending and course director. He is one of very few diplomates of the American Board of Orofacial Pain and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain.
As an expert in the field, he has been invited to lecture at New York University, New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, New York State Dental Association, Woodhull Hospital, Lincoln Medical Center, and numerous dental societies and conferences (including Greenwich and Stamford Dental Societies, New Haven Dental Association, Connecticut Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, New England Dental Society Annual Meeting).
What are treatment options offered by Dr. Nojan?
Dr. Nojan offers the best and advanced treatment options available for TMJ, facial pain, oral pain and headaches. Treatments offered by Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari are personalized to you when looking to know more about inflammation of the jaw, and may include:
- Oral appliance therapy (custom mouthguards, nightguards, splints)
- Therapeutic injections
- Trigger point injections for muscle pain
- Nerve blocks
- Steroid injections for TMJ joint and tendons
- Botox for TMJ, nerve pain, jaw pain and headaches
- Therapeutic ointments and medication for oral, facial and TMJ pain
Overview of Treatments for TMJ, Facial Pain and Oral Pain
Dr. Nojan offers the most advanced and evidence-based treatment options for TMJ, facial pain, oral pain and related headaches.
“Don’t leave TMJ and orofacial pain treatments to guesswork.”
Treatments will always be personalized to you, your condition and your treatment approach preferences. We understand that some patients do not like taking medications, while others are afraid of needles, or have life-styles that prevent them from wearing a bite guard. Learn more about what happens at your first visit with Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari, DDS, FAAOP. For that reasons, we offer the full range of treatment options and learning about inflammation of the jaw while also including:
- Oral appliance therapy(comfortable and custom bite guards, nightguards, splints)
- Therapeutic injections(such as trigger point muscle injections, nerve blocks, and botox®), PRP
- Steroid injections jaw joint (TMJ) and associated tendons
- Compounded Topical Pain Medications and mouth rinses
- Jaw stretching exercises and physical therapy modalities
TMJ Treatment options vary depending on the individual suffering from TMJ and the specifics of their condition. Since TMJ/TMD can affect the musculature, tendons, bones and joint of the jaw, a thorough examination and diagnosis is paramount prior to initiating any treatment. Treatments include therapeutic injections of muscles and the joints, custom fabricated orthotics (also called splints, mouth guards, nightguards or occlusal guards), medications, creams, botox©, jaw stretching exercises, and physical therapy.
TMJ therapies should never include grinding down of otherwise healthy teeth. It is ill-advised to suggest to a patient that grinding of their otherwise healthy natural teeth is related to the TMJ pain they are perceiving. This treatment philosophy of “correcting the bite”, by either grinding down teeth (occlusal adjustments), restoring teeth with crowns, or moving teeth with braces or invisalign©, has been debunked in the dental and scientific literature.
What to expect at your first visit to our office
At your first visit to our office, Dr. Bakhtiari and his team will thoroughly examine your jaw, face, TMJ, bite and mouth. He will determine the source and cause of your discomfort, and devise a customized treatment solution that will work for you to help with inflammation of the jaw.
The initial consultation includes:
- Review of your medical history
- Detailed evaluation of your pain, discomfort and/or other symptoms
- Cranial nerve screening
- Muscle palpation of the muscles of your jaw, head and neck
- TMJ evaluation: evaluating the health of your jaw joints including their range of motion, tenderness and any clicking/popping sounds
- Additional imaging if necessary: X-rays, panoramic, CT scans, MRIs
- Additional testing as needed: diagnostic topical anesthetics, muscle and nerve blocks, blood tests