Jaw keeps on popping?!


Question: Jaw keeps on popping?
It started after I chewed gum for like half a day one day. It doesn't hurt and it's just annoying whenever I eat. I don't think it might be TMJ or TMD for the fact that it doesn't lock, it just pops. Any ideas on what it could be? Will it go away? Plz HELP

Answers:

You have a TMJ disorder. By definition when your temporomandibular joint makes noises you have TMJ (aka TMD) and pain may or may not be present. Pain almost always comes over time due to stress, strain, and trauma to the ligaments that are attached to the TM joint and muscles that open and close the mouth. The popping you have now is called reciprocal clicking and is due to a structure within the TMJ complex called the articular disk dislocating whenever your teeth are together and going back into joint when you open. If you have never had this problem before then more than likely you have what is called a secondary TMJ - a TMJ problem that develops in a normal temporomandibular joint as a direct result of some external factor that over stresses or causes fatigue in the muscles connected to the jaw joint. If so, then all you need to do is stop chewing gum, avoid all hard to chew foods like meats and salads, etc. until the problem goes away. This will not happen overnight and may take several weeks to several months. It's like having a sprained ankle, the more you stay off of it the faster it will return to normal. You can speed things up by applying moist heat to both sides of the face over the jaw joints for 45-60 minutes at a time and do it as often as you can. Moist heat helps to relax muscles and relieve discomfort. The posts by others describe a primary TMJ disorder and that type never goes away and always gets worse over time because it is due to an anatomic condition (bad bites, deep overbites, Class II jaws or retruded chins, etc). There is also the possibility that you were always a borderline TMJ case and the gum chewing that you did was enough to push you over the fence. people who have borderline TMJ function fine except when they do something that over stresses the jaws and then their normal TMJs temporarily become pathologic TMJs. Chewing gum for just a half a day or even a full day does not normally cause enough stress or strain on a normal TMJ to cause pathology.

DDS; treated TMJ since 1984



I have the same thing. mine pops when I eat and chew gum and just when ever i open my mouth too far like to eat a sandwich or whatever. Its TMJ and it can get really bad if you dont go get it adjusted a lot. I go get it adjusted once a week at a chiropractor and it helps a lot. TMJ doesn't lock usually but it doesn't sometimes. and its caused cuz your jaw is not lined up it pops out of place, no pain involved! go to a chiropractor and get it checked out, not a doctor!

Heather isnt right, TMJ doesnt hurt only sometimes when your jaw gets tired and starts aching. Ive had it for 9 years now, since I was 10. you should stop chewing gum tho cuz thats just making it worse



Yeah, it's TMJ. It's nothing to worry about, and it's SO common.
The only way to get rid of it is to have major surgery. But stopping chewing gum will probably help.
It will get worse, mine has started to get painful and every time I open my mouth, and was caused by chewing gum and biting nails :/

My dentist



It could be the start of tmj. That's how I got mine. Keep watching over it for a while and if it starts to lock when you eat, talk, or yawn, go to the doctor.
I got tmj about a year ago and I first noticed that my jaw popped a little when I ate. My tmj was helped by fixing my overbite with braces, but it still pops a little.
Hope you get better!! :)

I have tmj



The same thing happened to me about a year ago. At first it didn't hurt but after a few weeks it started hurting. I had TMJ. You just need to go to a doctor to check it out. don't let it get too far or it could get worse. Hope this helps! :)

Me!



its called a click in your jaw and depending on its severity you may have to either wear a 'splint' at night or go through a series of braces (normally around 4/5 different types) for it to be fixed

Personal experiance



A common reason is the mal-alignment of your teeth. Unless the popping is accompanied by a painful sensation, you can pretty much rule out TMJ. If you are seriously worried, consult your dentist.



As for me, I what was called a right over bite. I got braces to fix the problem. During that time I used a special pillow to help "pop" it back in place, while getting my braces tightened.

It fixed the problem.




The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories