What is Causing That Popping Sound in The Jaw?

Jaw Popping Habits to Medical Conditions

When you hear your jaw pop, it may not be working properly and this can be caused by a variety of reasons. It may be due to too many times doing some unconscious action from chewing gum to grinding your teeth. It all points to a dysfunction of the temporomandibular joints or TMJ.

The TMJ is responsible for your ability to talk, chew, yawn, or just about anything you do that causes your jaw to open and close. Both sides of your face have a joint that hinges the jawbone to your skull.

The term TMJ is used both to refer to the joint and to the disorder; sometimes also as TMD or TMJD. The common causes are: Frequent gum-chewing, biting the fingernails, protruding the jaw out, biting the lip or the cheek, and grinding the teeth and clenching the jaw. These behaviors may or may not be done consciously, but the repeated actions can cause wear and tear on the joints, leading to erosion.

Jaw popping can be a painful sensation, but sometimes there is no pain which may not be a cause for concern. But there are certain underlying causes that create a TMJ condition that needs medical attention.

Causes of TMJ

For example, if you have arthritis, it may cause damage to the cartilage of the TMJ. It can lead to limited jaw movements, pain, stiffness, tiredness and loss of appetite. Another is myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) which causes chronic pain in the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles) anywhere in the body, including your jaw which can pop. There are trigger points that can initiate the pain, usually it can be triggered by pressure.

Another cause for jaw popping is a broken or dislocated jaw due to trauma or injury, and malocclusion of the teeth resulting in misalignment. Sleep apnea, which causes you to stop breathing during sleep, can cause popping as one of its symptoms. A tumor in the mouth or a salivary gland infection can also interfere in the movements of the jaw.

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Check if you have TMJ at Song Dental

If you are experiencing popping in your jaws, with or without pain sensation, it’s best to see our Lynnwood dentist right away. Let’s find out why it’s happening and get treatment.