Jaw Injury, Symptoms & Recovery

There are several apparent reasons for jaw pain, from grinding your teeth to a fist blow to the jaw while you sleep. When you feel pain in your mouth, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain is the most frequent cause. If the jaw pain gets worse or you have problem with daily activities, maxillofacial surgeon can help you get rid of the problem from the root.

How Jaw Pain Is Common?

Many people go through life without feeling any serious jaw pain, and others will feel it only after they have been in a car accident or experienced similar injuries. TMJ pain is also followed by trouble in opening and closing your mouth, and the sensation that your jaw clicks or gets stuck. While issues with TMJ are often caused by clenching the jaw or untreated dental problems, there may also be pain in your jaw due to injuries suffered in a car accident. Indeed, the American Dental Association reports that 44 to 99% of TMJ problems are linked to trauma, with car accidents being the most prevalent form of trauma.

Jaw Pain and Car Injuries

Roughly 1 in 3 people prone to whiplash are at higher risk of delayed jaw pain, according to the Journal of the American Dental Association. Since many people have no noticeable jaw pain immediately after a car accident, it’s normal not to associate their pain with the accident at all. Consequently, any jaw pain that happens following an auto accident can still be directly linked to injuries from the crash, even up to a year down the road.

We are aware of the impact that car accidents can have on your face, and we suggest that you visit a doctor after one, whether you have suffered whiplash or seem to have stayed unscathed. It is preferable to finding issues with TMJ any farther down the line, as they get worse. If you have had a car accident or any injuries to your neck or face, please call a doctor immediately.

This is the hinge that attaches your jaw to the skull just in front of your mouth, allowing you to chew, speak and yawn. Your TMJ can get inflamed, among other reasons, due to tension, clenching your jaw or arthritis.

Popular Signals and Symptoms

Only a doctor can diagnose a TMJ injury correctly and accurately but all of the following symptoms can suggest serious injury to your jaw:

• Clicking sound while opening or closing your mouth, particularly while chewing
• Locking your jaw
• Trouble or discomfort when chewing or biting
• Tenderness or dullness, pain in the face, particularly while awakening
• Constant headaches
• Pain in the neck, shoulders and back
• Stuffiness or pain in the sinus region
• Dizziness

Get yourself diagnosed first to know what the problem is. Visit Oral and Facial Surgery in Oklahoma for treatment. Dr Wooten is one of the renowned maxillofacial surgeon who can provide flawless treatment.

**Disclaimer: This site content is not intended to be medical advice nor establishes a doctor-patient relationship.