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Discussion » Questions » Health and Wellness » Does your jaw ever 'pop' ?

Does your jaw ever 'pop' ?

I have sometimes had it, but i have had it happen once a day in the last couple days... I do have TMJ, and used to have a nightguard, but haven't for a year.. they are so expensive. Luckily I haven't had much jaw pain in last 6 months.. was very happy. But I was just kind of concerned why it has happened (the pop feeling) has occurred 3 times this week... did you ever have it ?

Posted - September 14, 2016

Responses


  • Yes, when I do my makeup just right. 

      September 14, 2016 6:36 PM MDT
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  • 2465

    Yes, I've had that happen.  Not so much now though.  I've had TMJ for many years now and I used to wear night guards that dentists made for me but they didn't seem to help much and, yes, they're pretty expensive. They just altered my bite so that when I removed the guard,  my teeth no longer lined up properly and it never helped to alleviate my pain.  For a very long time I had headaches that never let up.  I'd go to sleep with one and wake up with one.  But over the years, they finally went away and I have no idea why. Just try not to eat hard foods or foods that require a lot of chewing, or foods that require you to open your mouth wide such as apples.  If you want one, just cut it up into small pieces.  You'll want to avoid chewing gum too. Avoid opening your mouth so wide that you hear it click.   And when going to the dentist, make sure you also tell them you have TMJ and that you can only open your mouth so wide.  

      September 14, 2016 10:34 PM MDT
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  • 2758

    Yes, but mainly when I try to chew a tougher cut of meat.

    And you prolly don't have TMJ (which, as I understand, is quite painful) unless the popping somehow involves or irritates the trigeminal nerve. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigeminal_nerve )

    I'm not a doctor, though, so cough up the hundred or so bucks for a dental appointment...before it's too late. :-)

      September 14, 2016 11:38 PM MDT
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  • 2758

    Night Guard

    n.

    Trade name for a $1,200 set of plastic dental inserts.

      September 14, 2016 11:40 PM MDT
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  • 2465
    Your reason for telling me night guard is a noun?
      September 16, 2016 7:33 AM MDT
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  • 3191

    Occasionally.

      September 16, 2016 8:06 AM MDT
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  • 1138

      September 16, 2016 8:35 PM MDT
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  • 1138

    Ty P, yeah it sucks having TMJ... I've had it 10 yrs or so, sometimes it has been SO bad :/ but, lately no pain for quite a few months... just the random pop sound this week a few times, like your bone actually made a noise.. ahhhh. I know now it is not harmful, a dentist told me it is a temporary slight dislocation/realigning itself... yeah I don't eat any hard food really, and if I do , I take really small bites. Hope u are well and that your pain is at a minimum for that condition too....

      September 16, 2016 8:38 PM MDT
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  • 2465

    Baybreeze, I wish I knew what causes the pain to be there for a very long time then to kick in again.  At least now, it's just the clicking so I guess I shouldn't jinx myself.  When you had the pain, what kind of pain did you have?  I called them headaches, but they weren't the pounding type.  It was more like pressure and not just at the temples.  I felt the pressure in my head, all over.  The only thing that would temporarily relieve it was when I asked my roomie to put her hands on both sides of my head and squeeze as hard as she could.  But, unfortunately, it only help while she was squeezing, so obviously it didn't provide much help.  Thank you, but fortunately I don't have any symptoms (pain) other than the clicking.  For some reason I'm not aware of, one day the pain just stopped.  It's been years and it hasn't returned.  And if the clicking is all you're experiencing, I say we cross our fingers that it doesn't return.  Out of curiosity, did you have a hard time getting a diagnosis.  I'd been to at least 12 doctors before one of them finally identified it.  Some doctors don't even believe in fibromyalgia.  I'd heard it said that it's just a bag of unrelated symptoms that someone gave a name to.

      September 17, 2016 2:59 AM MDT
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