Jaw pain ranges from mild to severe, intermittent to persistent. If you experience pain, soreness, or discomfort in your jaw, don’t ignore it. If the cause is oral in nature, Dr. Gary Horblitt, your general dentist and prosthodontist, can find and treat the cause, then restore any additional damage. No one should suffer with jaw pain–it’s just the body’s check engine light blinking. Let’s explore the oral health causes of jaw pain and how Dr. Horblitt can help restore comfort and health to your smile.
To schedule an appointment at Gary Horblitt, DDS, call us now at (203) 335-1011. Dr. Horblitt sees patients of all ages and is accepting new patients now. Don’t live with jaw pain, wondering what it could be. Call today!
Jaw Pain Often Starts in the Mouth
Your mouth is a system made up of your jaws, jaw muscles and nerves, TMJs (jaw joints), gums, teeth, tongue, other soft oral tissues, and jawbone. Every component has a job and must perform that job well for continued good oral health and comfortable function. The jawbone, joints, and related features allow your mouth to open, close, and your lower jaw to move side-to-side. When teeth are properly aligned, the jaw can rest comfortably in its closed position. Imbalance in a person’s “bite” or “occlusion” (how upper and lower teeth fit together when the mouth is shut) puts undue stress on the jaw and jaw joints.
Jaw pain is a spectrum that ranges from mild throbbing jaw joints to intense, shooting pains that inhibit proper motion of the lower jaw. The pain may interfere with communication, eating, and your daily oral care routine. If you experience jaw pain, please call Dr. Horblitt, a general dentist and prosthodontist, who can find the cause of our discomfort and work with you to initiate a solution.
Common Causes of Jaw Pain
An imbalance bite is often the primary cause of jaw pain–but not always! A variety of situations can lead to jaw pain. Dr. Horblitt will evaluate your mouth thoroughly before making a diagnosis and treatment plan. Revealing and correcting underlying causes of jaw pain now could save you years of pain and expense in the future.
Irritated or Imbalanced Temporomandibular Joints (TMJ)
A lost tooth, crooked teeth, teeth that have shifted out of place after wearing braces–these conditions are rife for TMJ disorder. An imbalanced bite, also called malocclusion, can cause teeth clenching and grinding (bruxism), muscle strain and inflammation, jaw noises with open/close motion, stiffness, and/or pain. This irritating condition can often be treated with a simple oral appliance worn at night: a nightguard.
Impacted or Problematic Tooth Eruption
Wisdom teeth in particular, the third molars that erupt in a person’s late teens and early twenties, can become impacted and cause significant jaw pain, as well as infection and irritation. You may notice pressure against other molars or bone, increasing with time. The localized pain causes jaw soreness and swelling, but extracting the problematic tooth will relieve pain.
Tooth Infection or Dental Abscess
A tooth that’s cracked, chipped, or decayed to the point that the tooth’s innermost, sealed chamber becomes infiltrated with bacteria, infection can develop in the chamber. The core of each tooth contains pulp, including the tooth’s nerve. As bacteria multiply, infection grows, as does pressure and pain. You may notice radiating pain from the affected tooth toward your ear, neck, or along your jaw, combined with swelling, soreness, and pressure sensitivity. The tooth must be removed and replaced or treated with root canal therapy, if possible.
Gum Disease and Bone Inflammation
When gum disease progresses to acute periodontitis, the jawbone may cause bone death and deterioration. Though this condition begins with no pain, over time it causes increasing discomfort.
Bite Problems and Missing Teeth
If you’ve lost teeth and not had them replaced, your remaining teeth must disperse biting forces meant for 32 teeth on only those that remain. The consistent, heightened workload places remaining teeth under significant stress, increasing their potential for failure. With time, tooth loss can interfere with proper jaw alignment. As a prosthodontist, Dr. Horblitt evaluates these types of cases and provides solutions to restore healthy bite and function.
When Jaw Pain Signals the Need for Dental Evaluation
If you notice any of these symptoms, please schedule a consultation with Dr. Horblitt:
- Jaw pain that persists or worsens
- Swelling, tenderness, fever
- Difficulty opening/closing your mouth
- Pain + loose teeth and/or gum changes in look and feel
If Dr. Horblitt does not trace your pain to an oral issue, he will refer you to your physician for further evaluation.
Schedule Your Jaw Pain Evaluation with Fairfield Dentist, Dr. Gary Horblitt, Today!
Do not allow jaw pain to interfere with your busy, happy life! If your jaw, jaw joints, or teeth ache, or if you need a general dentist or prosthodontist in the Fairfield, CT, call us now for an appointment: (203) 335-1011.
