Symptoms and Complications
There is an easy test you can do yourself to check whether you're able to
open your jaw as much as you should. Most people can place the tips of their
index, middle, and ring fingers held vertically in the space between the upper
and lower front teeth without forcing. If your space is smaller, or if you experience
pain, or a clicking or grinding noise when you try to open your mouth this far,
you probably have temporomandibular joint problems.
Common symptoms of TMJ problems include:
- a clicking sound or grating sensation on opening the mouth or chewing
- dull aching pain in front of the ear
- headaches that don't respond to the usual medical treatment
- locking of the joint, making it difficult to open
- tenderness of the jaw muscles
The pain will often occur only on one side of the face, and sometimes the pain
may seem to occur near the joint rather than in it. Pain and muscle tightness
may be present after waking up in the morning or during and after stressful
periods. These symptoms result from muscle spasms brought on by repeated muscle
or tooth clenching and tooth grinding. Many people grind their teeth during
their sleep and aren't even aware of it, and clenching and grinding while asleep
exerts far more force than grinding or clenching while awake.