It can feel strange to hear a pop or click every time you open your mouth. That familiar sound happens when you eat, speak, or yawn, and it often raises concern, and for a good reason. While it may seem harmless, even at first, it can indicate a problem with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which is small in size but responsible for an extremely complex movement in your jaw.
This blog explains everything you need to know about jaw popping, it’s linked to TMJ disorder and you should seek a specialist.
The TMJ joins your lower jaw to the skull for all basic movements, eating and talking. There is a small disc that cushions the movement between the joints. When the mechanics of the joint change, it can cause that small disc to become slightly out of place. This creates that distinctive popping or clicking sound when you open or close your mouth.
With time, joint-related muscle fatigue from activities like clenching the jaw or grinding your teeth can impact joint articulation. You may find that you experience minor jaw discomfort, some stiffness around your cheeks, or even some ear-related symptoms, such as ringing and fullness. All of these symptoms can be suggestive of a TMJ disorder, where the biomechanics of the jaw are disturbed.
Popping or clicking in the jaw is something you should be concerned about. If any of the following occur or develop, you must consult a specialist:
These examples represent that the joint is not functioning normally. The earlier your evaluation process begins, the better your outcome, as mechanical stress on a joint puts strain on the dynamic stabilizers (muscles) and supporting tissues around the joint, over time.
TMJ disorder most typically presents with what is called jaw popping, when the disc inside the joint does not glide smoothly when moving. Jaw popping occurs because of grinding/crunched/clenching, or when the bite is not balanced. Because the TMJ is positioned very close to the ear canal, its dysfunction tends to produce ear symptoms like ringing and pressure.
If we can take care and address the mechanical aspect of the dysfunction, you can help restore proper function, and help prevent irritation to the joint. Thus, it is important that you see a specialist in these types of disorders that can provide an accurate diagnosis and a directed treatment plan.
Dr. Luis’s focus is to restore its natural function. He uses one of the most effective and advanced treatments available is TMJ arthroscopy. It is a minimally invasive procedure that directly visualizes and corrects intra-articular abnormalities. TMJ arthroscopy is a procedure that re-aligns the TMJ structures. This can result in significant reduction in pain. It can also help restore TMJ movement, and mollify ear symptoms and jaw popping.
Initially, jaw popping may only be a sound, but it can represent a signal from your body that there is some type of mechanical imbalance in the TMJ. Early expert assessment can help you manage the problem before it affects your comfort or daily function.
Using all of the available tools and techniques, such as TMJ arthroscopy, Dr. Luis helps patients regain the ease of natural jaw mobility with freedom from the annoying reminder of a clicking or popping jaw.