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Jaw pain is a difficult condition to understand and for which there can be many causes. Jaw pain leads people to turn to specialists who have experience in the field of orthodontics to assist in a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. As a patient, your best choice is to turn to dental professionals who have participated in orthodontic continuing education -- and our job at Gerety Orthodontic Seminars is to ensure that we help dentists like you in acquiring the information and knowledge you need to expand your skills in this field.
Jaw pain may include tightness, soreness, and problems of clicking in the jaws. Other problems include popping sensations when speaking or eating. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is responsible for the jaw movement. If something affects this joint, it leads to severe dental problems.
Learn more about some causes of jaw pain in order to assist in identifying the possible cause.
Often, people are not aware of their tendencies to grind their teeth, since it happens during their sleep time. When the teeth grind, it moves the jaw tightly and clenches it. Stress or anxiety, as well as some diseases or side effects of some medications, may cause teeth grinding. At any time, if you suspect that your patient has this condition, you should recommend and encourage the patient to use a mouth guard every night during sleep. The mouth guard will help reduce the grinding and reduce the tendency of the patient to tighten and clench the jaw.
This disorder affects the jaw’s temporomandibular joint. One of the most noticeable features of the disorder is the pain that often accompanies the disorder, which may cause a clicking sound in the jaw when opening and chewing. In severe cases, it causes the jaw to remain permanently stuck in an open or closed position. This joint usually acts as a hinge in the jaw, which connects it to the skull. Pain may also be experienced in the ears. When patients have this problem, excessive pain can be quite debilitating.
If you have a cavity in one of your teeth, this does not mean that the pain will stay in that particular area. In fact, if the cavity continues to be present in the tooth without treatment by a dentist, it could develop into an infection and soon spread, causing jaw pain and toothache.
In most young people, the wisdom teeth erupt between the ages of 18 and 20 years. Eruption of the wisdom teeth may cause pain in the ear or areas of the jaw. If the wisdom teeth become infected, they can cause swollen lymph glands just under the jaw, sore throat, or the presence of a bad odor or taste in the mouth.
Malocclusion is the term for what occurs in the mouth when the teeth are not aligned properly. The alignment refers to the way the upper teeth and lower teeth fit together as the jaws close, which is called the bite. A bad bite can cause crooked or protruding teeth and put excessive pressure on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). A bad bite can increase the risk of tooth decay, cause difficulty in chewing, or create speech problems. Pressure on the TMJ produces headache and pain. As the condition continues, this causes wear and tear to the jaw, resulting in tooth pain. A common way to correct malocclusion is through orthodontic treatment.
At Gerety Orthodontic Seminars, you can increase your knowledge and enhance your skills through the courses we offer. To learn more about how to address jaw pain in the broader field of orthodontic techniques and mechanics, browse our website at www.orthodonticteaching.com. Gerety Orthodontic Seminars is a proven leader in continuing dental education, with more than 12,000 satisfied and successful students who have completed our programs. For further information, please contact us at Gerety Orthodontic Seminars. We will be more than happy to help you enroll in the program that is best for you.