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Just wonbdered if anyone else has suffered with this, because it's very painful!
OVer the last few days the left side of my jaw right where the joint is, has been feeling achey and painful. The joint seems to crunch around alot and cracks quite often.
The pain got quite bad before I went to bed last night, and in the middle of the night I woke up and my jaw snapped open and there was a huge crack with shooting pains over the left side of my face - OMG!
I made an emergency appointment with the ortho and he said it's related to TMJ or something like that and that it all needs rest.
I think you need to see a doctor about that. I doubt it that is to do with your braces and don't think that orthodontists are the people to help you.
Hope you start feeling better soon.
I did a search for jaw pain and was very surprized to see you'd posted a message on the same subject just yesterday! I am going through the same thing.
For the past couple of days my jaw, right in the socket, has been aching - on the right side. This has never happened before and I was putting it down to my changing bite and hoping it was just a phase. It aches, on the verge of hurting, when I open my mouth, and clicks and pops - just like yours. My jaw has always had some popping but never ached too. I'm not very happy about it and hoping it will go away in a few days. It seems to be getting worse as when I woke up this morning it felt very stiff and achey. If it doesn't go in a week or so I'll try my ortho, and if they can't help, then my doctor, as littleshaddies suggests. The problem is I keep opening my mouth wide to see if its still hurts when I should be resting it. Have to try to stop doing this! Let me know how it goes with you. Hope it gets better for us both soon.
Music in the soul can be heard by the universe
Upper ceramics: 3 Oct 2005, Lower metals: 1 Nov 2005
Estimated treatment time: 18-24 months
Braces remove: April 4, 2007!
Most definately TMJ related. I experienced this for years. My mouth would lock open if I opened it too much - say for dental cleanings. I would have to manually (with my hand) work it back into place. It had to do (for me) clenching and grinding of my teeth at night because my bite was so bad. I spent 30 years in and out of a night guard that allowed my lower front teeth to rest against a plate behind my upper teeth - my back teeth didn't touch at all. This "resting" of my jaw at night solved my TMJ. Now, I am hoping getting braces and fixing my bite will permanently fix it for me.
All that said, it probably has to do with everything shifting which is causing stress, possibly causing you to clench and grind at night. If that is the case I think there are mouth guards that can be made for you even though you are in braces. (My orthodontist specializes in TMJ problem, too).
Good luck to you, hope you get things in order soon because I know it hurts terribly.
Had Damon 3 / Smart Clips for almost 2 years
Now in Hawley upper 10 hours/day, permanent lower retainers
Thanks for telling us of your experience. I too have locking jaw sometimes like you, although locking shut not open, and I know how horrible that is. Scary too - I wonder if it will ever work right again when that happens (but it always does)! There've been times when I could hardly get a toothbrush in there - that's sort of where I'm at now.
It also helps to know we are not alone. I read on the Docs forum that Chris is experiencing jaw pain from elastics. I feel for you Chris, we are all in the same boat, and hope you get a response from the Doc's that helps. I guess it's just all part of the process and I am trying not to worry about it, although I do a bit.
You are right about the clenching - I started clenching my teeth in the past month for the first time ever and I'm sure this is caused by my changing bite. So clenching and now TMJ pain! As I said earlier, I hope this is just a phase. I will mention it to my ortho and she what she says. Maybe a mouth guard can help us like it helped you. I got to say that I don't relish the idea of wearing one though. I keep thinking I should be able to control the clenching, not do it, but I constantly find I am. I am going on a restful break soon and am going to try to de-stress in case that helps - it certainly can't hurt!
Music in the soul can be heard by the universe
Upper ceramics: 3 Oct 2005, Lower metals: 1 Nov 2005
Estimated treatment time: 18-24 months
Braces remove: April 4, 2007!
I have some "tiredness" (aka- soreness/aching/pain) in my jaw a lot of the time. I have been telling myself it is because I can't close my mouth right due to the moving canine not allowing my jaw to fall into it's proper place, but instead slightly to the left. It pops from time to time and grinds some as well when I open it.
I also find myself "wiggling" my bottom jaw a lot, almost like I'm looking for a place to put it.
I'm hoping my braces journey is almost over (few more months), and once this tooth is back into place and I can close my jaw properly I'm hoping it will stop aching. If it doesn't I may see someone (dr/ortho) about it.
OMG, the same thing happened to me the other day, i went to open my mouth to yawn, and when i jaw fully strethced a horrid crunch/pop noise happened, then shooting pain and jaw soreness, i never had TMJ problems before i got braces, but my jaws have always popped quite frequently. I guess its because my bite is so off right now because of the braces. Now, my jaw is sore when i open it, and even when its shut, but its getting better. Just wanted to put in my input, well there it is LoLz
Shelby
I've just been taking Ibuprophen which has helped loads with the pain and is also an anti-inflamitory and muscle relaxant which has eased it alot.
My ortho told me not to let my teeth come together, just for eating, to let my jaw all relax and heal itself. Scarey to think that all this pain and locking up is because of a tiny piece of cartilage.
Good to know that there are others with the same problem, and the cracking noises are pretty horrible.
I'm putting it down to being stressed out which is causing me to clench my teeth really hard at night and during the day when I don't realise it, and I guess the tension in the muscles and jaw just got too much - certainly not pleasant though.
I've been having a lot of jaw pain lately! I'm not sure what's causing it though. I assume its my wacky changing bite! IT is really painful and it really hurts to chew!
Just curious but how does a doc diagnose TMJ? ANd what can you do about it?
My dentist and ortho just asked me questions and looked at the way I opened and closed my mouth, then told me it was TMJ. So far, the hardest thing for me was getting the braces put on. When they put the lip spreaders in, my jaw shifted as it often does when I open my mouth wide and it locked--talk about pain! So they had to do one side at a time, while having me bite down on gauze on the side they weren't working on. My jaw was so tired that it shook and was really sore the rest of the day and the day after. I'm hoping this will not be an issue when the braces come off because my jaw pain is the main reason for getting them
This seems like a really common problem. I feel for all of you with jaw pain because its really horrible. My jaw still hurts after a couple of weeks and I'm beginning to think its not going to just go away on its own. I will definitely mention it to my ortho at my appointment later this month and post her response here.
I had the relaxing break I mentioned earlier but drinking (on new years eve) didn't help at all and I'm sure I was clenching my teeth more when my usual self-control was out of the window! Ahh well. I am now fully loaded with work-type stress but trying to counter it with yoga twice a week. I think that when I am super-busy I forget not to clench my teeth and tire out my jaw. Not sure how this info will help anyone but I just wanted to vent about my sore jaw - waaaaaaaaa!
Music in the soul can be heard by the universe
Upper ceramics: 3 Oct 2005, Lower metals: 1 Nov 2005
Estimated treatment time: 18-24 months
Braces remove: April 4, 2007!
IT is really painful and it really hurts to chew! 
