Why Does My Jaw Ache When I Wake Up?
Waking up with jaw pain signals that something isn’t right. Use this guide as a first step to figuring out what’s happening while you sleep to cause your pain — and find ways to alleviate it.
Does your jaw pop or click? If it only happens every once in a while, it probably doesn’t bother you. If that sound is a persistent part of your day, though, it’s time to find a solution. And if it hurts when it pops, you need immediate treatment.
Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. Eric R. Koch, DDS, and our team at Advanced Dental Care of East Texas can determine what’s causing your jaw to pop and offer treatment to alleviate it. In many cases, jaw popping comes from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
Dr. Koch specializes in TMJ treatment. Whatever causes your jaw to pop, a visit to our Jasper, Texas, office offers you a way to find relief.
Your jaw popping comes from a problem with your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ for short. You have two TMJs, one on each side of your face in front of your ear. These joints act as a hinge for your jaw, allowing it to move up and down.
If you hear a popping or a clicking when you open or close your jaw, it indicates that one or both of your TMJs are having a problem.
Overuse of your TMJs often causes clicking. That overuse can come from:
In some people, the popping or clicking comes with pain. In others, it’s just a noise that bothers them. If either applies to you, it’s time to talk to Dr. Koch.
Here at Advanced Dental Care of East Texas, Dr. Koch has extensive experience evaluating temporomandibular joints to figure out what’s going on. He starts by having you perform whatever jaw movement causes the popping sound.
From there, he takes the necessary steps to pinpoint the cause. That allows him to tailor a personalized treatment for you. By addressing the issue with your specific joint or joints, he can alleviate the popping and any other symptoms, like discomfort.
Some TMJ treatment options Dr. Koch commonly employs include:
As we mentioned, jaw popping can be due to overuse. Dr. Koch may recommend modifications, like a softer diet or less gum, to give your joints and the surrounding muscles the opportunity to heal.
This option uses electrical currents to relax the muscles that support your TMJ. That can be helpful if your jaw sounds also come with headaches or jaw pain.
If your TMJ is due to tooth grinding or jaw clenching, orthotics can help. Dr. Koch customizes your dental orthotics to support proper alignment in your jaw. That can relieve strain on your TMJs. Usually, you’ll wear your oral appliance at night.
Dr. Koch generally doesn’t recommend surgery if jaw popping is your only symptom. But if you also experience jaw pain and other treatments don’t provide relief, he may suggest surgery to correct the issue in your TMJs.
You have options to treat jaw popping. To explore treatments, call our office or book your visit online today.
