Is Jaw Pain Tooth Related?
The temporomandibular joint is the joint that’s attached to the skull on either side of the face and is tasked with opening and closing the mouth. When this joint is inflamed and painful, it’s common for the pain to radiate to the area surrounding the joint, and this pain can be severe and even debilitating. It can be challenging to determine whether jaw pain is coming from the jaw itself or whether it’s coming from an infection in the tooth or from elsewhere in the mouth or face, but there are some symptoms to look for that can help you figure out why your jaw hurts and whether or not your jaw pain is tooth-related.
When the temporomandibular joint becomes irritated and inflamed, this is known as temporomandibular joint disorder, which is commonly called TMJ disorder or even shortened to TMJ. The causes of TMJ disorder vary from case to case and can be biological or mechanical, meaning they may come from inside the body, like with arthritis, or from outside forces like biting or chewing. One of the most common causes of TMJ disorder is a condition called bruxism, which is defined by the chronic grinding or clenching of the teeth, usually while sleeping. Regardless of the cause, TMJ pain can be excruciating, and it can even get so bad that it causes the jaw to lock, making it very challenging to even open your mouth.
Radiating pain from TMJ disorder can be confusing. This pain could appear in other parts of the head, the ears or eyes, and the neck, and it can also cause pain near and around the teeth. This pain could be dull or sharp, periodic or constant, and it can resemble the pain people experience when they have a toothache. Toxins in the inflamed area can also cause trigger points to become irritated, leading to tender areas that could seem to come from a tooth infection. While TMJ pain can certainly make a person think there’s a problem with their tooth, problems with the teeth can also lead to TMJ pain, which underscores the inextricable relationship among the tissues and structures of the oral cavity, mouth, face, head, and neck.
If you’re experiencing jaw pain and you recently had dental work, there could be a mechanical cause for your jaw pain. When you get a dental filling, your dentist shapes the biting surface of your restored tooth and sculpts it precisely to ensure that your bite retains its integrity. If a dental filling isn’t reshaped properly, the bite is affected. This can also occur with dental restorations like dental crowns, which need to be positioned precisely so the patient maintains a proper bite. If you’re noticing an issue with your bite following a dental filling or other dental restoration, let your dentist know; while the restoration or filling can be modified to correct the bite, if left untreated, this type of TMJ pain can become chronic and more difficult to treat. A severe toothache in one of the molars can also cause pain to radiate to other areas of the mouth, and this pain will subside when the toothache is addressed and resolved, though this relief may not happen immediately. If you find that you clench your jaw when you have a toothache, especially, the symptom of jaw pain can be expected to last a few weeks following the resolution of the toothache.