{"id":5151,"date":"2020-05-27T08:56:47","date_gmt":"2020-05-27T15:56:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carolinacompletedental.com\/?p=5151"},"modified":"2025-06-23T15:10:22","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T15:10:22","slug":"why-does-my-jaw-hurt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carolinacompletedental.com\/blog\/why-does-my-jaw-hurt\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Does My Jaw Hurt?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If your jaw clicks when it opens, or you can\u2019t fully open it, or you have pain in your face and trouble chewing, then you\u2019re among the 15% of Americans who have chronic <\/span>jaw pain<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Your jaw joint is called the temporomandibular joint, or <\/span>TMJ<\/span><\/a>. The name comes from the jaw\u2019s role to connect your temporal bone in the skull with your mandible bone. Some people experience short-term pain that goes away with ice and over-the-counter medicine. But if you have chronic jaw pain or you can\u2019t open your mouth, you might have a temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and it\u2019s important to see your dentist right away to find relief.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Dr. Barganier, Dr. Zuffi, Dr. Williams, and Dr. McAdams<\/a>, Goose Creek dentists explains more below about the causes and treatments of jaw pain.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different Kinds of Jaw Pain<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pain in your jaw can feel different depending on what\u2019s going on. In order to best understand what\u2019s causing your pain, try to notice when you specifically feel the pain and what specifically it feels like. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have tightness, soreness, or clicking? Is the pain shooting sharp or a dull ache? Some jaw problems can also cause pain in your face, head, neck or shoulders. Many patients who have chronic migraines don\u2019t realize it\u2019s actually a dysfunction of their bite and TMJ. It\u2019s important to see a dentist and explain what you\u2019re feeling so that they can offer the best treatment options.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Causes of Jaw Pain <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your jaw has multiple parts that work together. The temporal bone and mandible bone join together with a piece of cartilage and a shock-absorbing disk. Pain often results from the cartilage being worn down or the disk being dislodged. <\/span>
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\n<\/span>Causes of jaw pain include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n