A jaw that snaps or cracks can cause anxiety. Sometimes only a sound can be heard; sometimes there is also pain, tired chewing muscles, headache or difficulty opening and chewing. These complaints often fall under the collective name temporomandibular joint complaints or TMD (temporomandibular dysfunction).
Where is the jaw joint located?
The temporomandibular joint lies just in front of the ear and connects the lower jaw to the skull. The joint contains a small cartilage disc that guides the movement. When talking, eating, swallowing, yawning and laughing, the joints and chewing muscles work together.
A click or snap often occurs because the disc and the jaw head do not move completely evenly. A sound without pain or limitation does not necessarily mean that the joint is damaged. If the sound becomes new, painful or increasingly worse, an assessment is wise.
Which complaints can occur?
- a clicking, snapping, cracking or grinding sound when opening or closing;
- pain in front of the ear, in the jaw, temple or chewing muscles;
- pain radiating to the head, ear, neck or shoulders;
- a tired or stiff feeling after chewing or talking;
- being unable to open the mouth as widely;
- the sensation of the jaw catching, blocking, or locking;
- headache or earache without obvious ear infection;
- a bite or prosthesis that suddenly feels different.
What can cause the complaints?
There is not always one clear cause. Often several factors play together:
- unconscious clenching of teeth or dentures;
- grinding of teeth, especially at night;
- stress, tension or prolonged concentration;
- a lot of chewing gum, chewy or hard food;
- nail-biting, pen-biting, or other habits;
- opening very wide, as when yawning or during prolonged treatment;
- a blow, fall or other injury;
- overload or incorrect posture of the head and neck;
- changes in bite, fit, or wear of teeth or dentures.
Dentures are not automatically the cause of jaw pain. However, wear and tear, a changed jaw shape, insufficient support or a bite that no longer comes together properly can put extra strain on the chewing muscles. That is why we assess both the mouth and the prosthesis.
What can you do yourself temporarily?
- Rest the Jaws: keep the lips relaxed together and the teeth or dentures loose from each other when not eating or swallowing.
- Stop chewing gum temporarily and avoid biting nails or pens.
- Choose softer food for a few days and take small bites. Keep moving the jaw gently; do not maintain an extremely liquid diet for long periods of time without advice.
- Avoid opening very wide: support the lower jaw when yawning and cut large rolls or apples into pieces.
- Use heat on tense masticatory muscles if it feels comfortable, for example a warm cloth for a short time.
- Take care with clasps: check during quiet moments whether your molars or dentures are unnecessarily on top of each other.
- Take rest and reduce tension wherever possible.
If you need pain relief, generally start with paracetamol according to the package leaflet, provided you can use it safely. Ask your pharmacist or GP for advice if you have other medications, conditions, pregnancy or doubts. Don't just take anti-inflammatory painkillers if you don't know if they are right for you.
What should you not do yourself?
- do not file, grind or bend your prosthesis yourself;
- do not attempt to force open or close a blocked jaw;
- do not buy a night guard for teeth grinding without an assessment;
- do not go through months with pain or limited mouth opening;
- do not use hard jaw exercises that obviously make the pain worse.
What can we investigate?
During an appointment, we first listen to the progress of the complaints. We ask, among other things, when the pain occurs, whether there is clenching or grinding and whether the mouth sometimes blocks. Then we can look at:
- the fit, stability and wear of your prosthesis;
- the bite and the height at which the upper and lower jaw meet;
- pressure points or overload of the oral mucosa;
- the mouth opening and movement of the lower jaw;
- tenderness of masticatory muscles and jaw joints.
Depending on the outcome, adjustment of the prosthesis, check-up by the dentist, guidance by an orofacial physiotherapist or referral to a general practitioner, gnathologist or oral surgeon may be appropriate. Surgery is only rarely necessary; treatment usually focuses on explanation, rest, habits and muscle function.
When do you make an appointment?
- the pain persists, often returns, or interferes with eating and sleeping;
- you can open the mouth less widely;
- the jaw regularly blocks or locks;
- the snapping is new and accompanied by pain;
- the bite or prosthesis suddenly feels different;
- you have swelling, redness, fever or pain after a fall or blow;
- you have unexplained ear, head or facial pain.
When is rapid medical attention necessary?
Call your dentist, GP or out-of-hours GP service the same day if your jaw cannot open or close, or if you have severe swelling, fever, a serious accident or rapidly increasing pain.
Call 112 if jaw pain is accompanied by oppressive chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea or pain that radiates to the arm, back or shoulder. Then there may be something else going on than a jaw joint problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a clicking jaw joint dangerous?
A click without pain, blocking or loss of function is often not dangerous. Have it assessed if it is new, noticeably changing, or associated with pain or limited movement.
Can my dentures cause jaw pain?
A worn, loose or improperly fitting denture can contribute to strain, but jaw pain often has multiple causes. Therefore, simply grinding the prosthesis is not a good first step; examination is needed first.
Does a night mouth guard help?
Sometimes, especially when grinding or clenching one's own teeth. A mouthguard must fit your teeth and diagnosis. For a complete denture, a standard mouthguard is usually not suitable. Get examined first.
Should I stop wearing my prosthesis?
Not always. If there is a clear pressure point or sudden pain, wearing less may be useful temporarily, but make an appointment and take the prosthesis with you. Do not change the prosthesis yourself.
Resources and further information
This page provides general information. Jaw pain can also come from teeth, molars, muscles, the ear or another medical cause. When in doubt, personal assessment is required.