{"id":420,"date":"2025-08-02T15:02:35","date_gmt":"2025-08-02T15:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.edfamilydental.com\/blog\/?p=420"},"modified":"2025-12-15T21:46:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T21:46:09","slug":"the-hidden-causes-of-jaw-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edfamilydental.com\/blog\/2025\/08\/02\/the-hidden-causes-of-jaw-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hidden Causes of Jaw Pain &amp; What You Can Do About It"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"216\" src=\"https:\/\/www.edfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-300x216.png\" alt=\"a patient dealing with jaw discomfort\" class=\"wp-image-421\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.edfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-300x216.png 300w, https:\/\/www.edfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-768x552.png 768w, https:\/\/www.edfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image.png 975w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Jaw pain can be frustrating, uncomfortable, and even interfere with everyday activities like chewing, speaking, yawning, and smiling. Often, this discomfort is linked to the TMJ, or temporomandibular joints\u2014the hinge-like joints that connect your jaw to the rest of your skull. When these joints or the surrounding muscles aren\u2019t functioning properly, it can lead to what\u2019s known as temporomandibular disorder, or TMD. Here&#8217;s a closer look at some of the specific causes of TMD and how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edfamilydental.com\/tmj-tmd-therapy.html\">professional treatment<\/a> can help you find relief!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Four Common Causes of TMD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>TMD has a variety of causes, but four of the most common ones include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Trauma or Injury<\/strong> \u2013 Any trauma to the jaw, whether from a fall, sports injury, or accident, can damage the TMJ. Even if the injury happened years ago, lingering effects may still cause pain or limited movement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bruxism <\/strong>\u2013 Also known as teeth grinding or clenching, this issue often occurs at night when patients are asleep\u2014and unaware of its presence! This repeated strain can cause soreness, stiffness, and even wear down the teeth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Orthodontic Issues<\/strong> \u2013 Misaligned teeth or bite problems may force the jaw to work harder than normal during biting, chewing, and speaking. This extra strain can result in pain and dysfunction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stress<\/strong> \u2013 Stress doesn\u2019t just affect your mentality; it can also manifest physically! Many people unconsciously clench their jaw or grind their teeth when stressed, which contributes to TMJ discomfort.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Treatment from Your Dentist Can Help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t have to live with jaw pain! Modern dentistry offers several solutions that can reduce or even eliminate TMD discomfort, depending on the cause. Custom-made nightguards, sometimes called occlusal splints, can protect the teeth from grinding and relieve strain on the jaw joints. Sometimes adjustments can also be made to the teeth through a process called equilibration that improves how they fit together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Orthodontic treatments can also help to realign the teeth and bite, reducing strain on the TMJ. In some cases, physical therapy and relaxation techniques can be thrown into the mix to help ease muscle strain and tension linked to stress. Ultimately, how your dentist will approach treating your TMD depends on its specific cause. &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re experiencing ongoing jaw pain, clicking or popping sounds when you open your mouth, or difficulty chewing, it\u2019s likely time for an evaluation. Early treatment not only relieves pain but can also prevent the condition from worsening and creating a chain reaction that spawns more issues!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Under the leadership of Dr. Eduart Shkurti, our team here at ED Family Dental has proudly served the needs of patients and families in Astoria and the surrounding area for several years, offering a wide range of services, including numerous forms of TMJ treatment. If you have any questions about the blog or you\u2019d like to get in touch with us to set up an appointment to get to the bottom of your jaw pain, feel free to reach out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edfamilydental.com\/contact-us.html\">online<\/a> or by phone today. <strong>Telephone: (718) 806-1662. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jaw pain can be frustrating, uncomfortable, and even interfere with everyday activities like chewing, speaking, yawning, and smiling. Often, this discomfort is linked to the TMJ, or temporomandibular joints\u2014the hinge-like joints that connect your jaw to the rest of your skull. When these joints or the surrounding muscles aren\u2019t functioning properly, it can lead to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Hidden Causes of Jaw Pain | ED Family Dental<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Have you been dealing with jaw pain that doesn\u2019t seem to let up? It might be due to TMJ disorder. 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