Lower Jaw Pain

The other day, we were having a munching session with some snacks and all of us were munching away to glory except for one of my friends. Wondering why she wasn't eating, we asked her and pat came the reply. "I have TMJ", she said matter-of-factly, as if it was some kind of superior quality. Well, she had confused us and at the same time intrigued us. Then a few days later, I happened to come across this 'TMJ' while browsing the internet. That is when I found out that it is Temporomandibular Joint (jaw joint) disorder (TMJ). Basically it is a condition where the jaw joint is damaged or stressed, or its alignment is not proper, causing jaw joint pain. In short, what my friend's case was a locked jaw and consequently a painful proposition. But jaw pain is not caused only by TMJ, there can be other reasons as well. I am sure quite a few amongst you can relate to this. Hence, this article is dedicated to all those who have TMJ and pain in the lower jaw as a consequence!

Causes and Treatment of Lower Jaw Pain

TMJ Disorder
One of the most common and known causes of jaw pain is TMJ disorder, as mentioned earlier. TMJ is located directly in front of the ear on either side of the head. This is the spot where the upper and lower jaw meet. Within the TMJ, there are parts which allow a normal movement of the joints. Any problem with this can result in pain in the lower jaw.

Bone Metastases
Simply put, it is an odd growth within and outside a bone's preexisting structure. It is caused by a particular type of cell in our bones. It could happen that these cells are infected due to cancer cells, leading to abnormal bone cells and subsequently odd bone growth. Now, if this happens in the TMJ, the new growth will push the jaw out of the socket. This translates into upper or lower jaw pain, or both. Another way in which bone metastases can cause jaw pain is that it can also affect the hollow chamber of the jaw. Primarily the unwanted protrusion stuffs itself in the interior of the bone to an extent that the resulting stress from that pressure leads to pain all over your lower jaw. If this is not dealt with as soon as possible, a jaw can break open from within.

Arthritis
Another culprit for jaw pain is arthritis. Arthritis is joint disorder. Hence, it can affect any joint, including the jaw joint. Arthritis is a degenerative joint disease, which can be caused by infection, trauma or simply aging. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis can also cause severe lower jaw pain, depending on the severity of the arthritis.

Dental Issues
Dental surgery, extraction of wisdom teeth or untreated cavities and so on can also cause jaw pain. Tooth abscess or toothache can also be other reasons for jaw pain.

Apart from these, migraine, nail biting, jaw cyst, jaw tumor, grinding and clenching your tooth or bruxism, misalignment of the teeth are amongst the culprits causing pain in the lower jaw.

As far as the treatment is concerned, it totally depends on the cause. For example, a neuromuscular dentist may realign your biting action to alleviate the pain experienced in TMJ disorder. If there is a dental problem, once the dentist deals with it, it will eliminate the pain. Take care!