Painful temporo- mandibular joint

Causes

A human masticatory (chewing) system includes teeth, masticatory muscles and temporomandibular joint (jaw joint). If problem occurs in any one of these components, you may get cramps in masticatory muscles, causing stress and damages to the temporomandibular joint. Pain will be felt. Very often, the cartilage in the jaw joints of those who are suffering from painful jaw joints may be dislocated during jaw movement, which results in cracking sounds in the jaw joints.

Factors causing painful jaws

• Malocclusion

• An over-filled tooth



• An unfit denture.



• Habitual grinding of teeth.

• Chewing on only one side of the mouth.

• Traumatic injury—jaw joints being traumatized by external force.

Treatment

To avoid teeth grinding, one should try to be relaxed by having sufficient sleep and exercise to relieve stress from everyday life. Parents should not put too much pressure on their children to prevent them from teeth grinding.