Jaw Pain

Have you been experiencing jaw pain? There are a number of reasons why you might have a pain in and around your jaw. Many of these reasons are due to dental issues, but not all of them. Only our Los Angeles jaw pain treatment expert can really get to the bottom of your jaw pain and will do so by taking a look at your symptoms.

One of the most common reasons for jaw pain has to do with the temporomandibular joint. This is more commonly known as TMJ and the condition that causes pain in the joint is referred to by the same name. Injury or overuse of the joint can cause jaw pain. This is often the case when the patient grinds their teeth at night. Generally, this is caused by stress but can be caused by other reasons as well, such as new dental work. If you already know that your jaw pain is caused by grinding, our expert in jaw pain in Los Angeles can help by making a night guard for you.

The temporomandibular joint is not the only reason for jaw pain that we hear about. Some people will experience jaw pain due to tooth infections. If this is the case, our Los Angeles jaw pain treatment expert can take a look at the offending tooth and recommend a treatment method, typically a root canal, to take care of the issue.

Another reason jaw pain could occur is due to heart problems. In this case, the pain is usually quite severe and comes upon suddenly. Typically this pain will occur on the lower left side of the jaw and is accompanied by other symptoms like numbness or tingling in the arms, chest pain, and pressure. If this occurs, call 911.

Two other reasons why the jaw can hurt include jaw cancer and tetanus. Numbness and pain in the jaw along with tobacco use is a typical sign of jaw cancer. Tetanus will present as a lock jaw sensation, and it will be difficult to open your mouth and swallow.

Tetanus and heart problems both need emergency care, but if you experience other conditions with jaw pain, contact our expert in jaw pain in Los Angeles.

Back to Articles