Why does my jaw crunch and what to do?

Jaw crunching can occur suddenly, while chewing, talking or yawning. Experts cannot give a clear answer to the question: "Why does the jaw crunch?" and the reasons for this condition can be completely different, from malocclusion to reactive arthritis or developing rheumatism.

Why does my jaw crunch?

Jaw crunching can be physiological in nature. Such a characteristic sound occurs in the joints that connect the upper and lower jaws, and if a person is not bothered by anything other than crunching, such a condition does not pose a danger.

The jaw crunches quite often at a young age, when there is increased growth of the body.

This condition also often occurs in people who, due to their professional activities, have to talk a lot - politicians, actors, teachers, etc. Most often, the crunch bothers young girls, but subsequently, usually, no pathologies develop, in rare cases, it can worsen blood circulation in the jaw joint. The first aid in this case will be to reduce the load on the joint.

The jaw may crunch due to gas bubbles that, when they burst, create a characteristic sound in the jaw bag. The formation of bubbles occurs when the joint is stretched and this condition can also be prevented by reducing the load on the joint.

The cause of crunching may be a decrease in intra-articular fluid, usually caused by surgery, inflammatory processes in the jaw (reactive arthritis).

Other possible causes of crunching may include past injuries, facial muscle spasms due to neuroses, malocclusion, missing teeth on one side of the jaw, asymmetrical dentures, under-polished fillings, natural ligament extensibility and weakening of the ligamentous apparatus.

Developing rheumatism leads to rare but periodic crunching in the jaw. The disease can manifest itself after a cold or sore throat. In addition to crunching, swelling, stiffness of movement, and pain are disturbing.

The jaw crunches when opening the mouth

The jaw crunching when opening is associated with improper functioning of the joint, when uneven movement and displacement to the side occurs when opening or closing the mouth. In addition to crunching, headaches, heaviness in the facial muscles, bruxism (grinding), and tooth sensitivity may be a concern.

Pathology may arise due to jaw trauma, malocclusion, inflammatory processes in the joints of the lower jaw, changes in the anatomical structure of the teeth due to increased wear, as well as as a result of subluxation of the jaw joint, which often occurs when the mouth is opened very strongly during yawning or during a quick bite of hard food (fruits, vegetables).

If the jaw crunches when opening the mouth, then you should consult a dentist, a protracted process can lead to structural changes in the jaw joints and then the treatment will be longer and more complicated.

The jaw crunches when chewing

When chewing, crunching in the jaw can occur for various reasons: spasm of the facial muscles, injuries, operations or inflammatory diseases of the joints.

Dentists distinguish several types of crunching of the temporomandibular joints, depending on the strength, frequency of the crunch, position of the jaw. In addition, specialists note a sound that is audible and inaudible to others.

When chewing, the most common cause of crunching in the jaw is arthritis, when the cartilaginous disc becomes thinner and the fibers inside the joint become loose, thereby creating unpleasant sounds.

As already mentioned, it is impossible to ignore the condition in which the jaw crunches, as complications are possible. First of all, when crunching, jamming may occur (during a wide yawn, scream, etc.), when a person cannot move the lower jaw (i.e. it is impossible to close or open the mouth).

My jaw hurts and crunches

As a rule, jaw crunching can be easily eliminated if you consult a doctor in a timely manner, but if pain occurs, experts recommend that you immediately consult a doctor, as this may be a symptom of arthrosis.

Urgent treatment is required when the jaw crunches and at the same time there is pain when yawning, chewing, opening the mouth or talking, pain can also appear at rest or when pressing. In addition, the muscle tone on different sides of the jaw becomes different, as a result of which asymmetry can be observed on the face.

Aching pain in the jaw, temporomandibular joint, pain and noise in the ears are symptoms that require urgent consultation with a doctor.

Such problems with the jaw are solved by a gnathologist, in the absence of this specialist, you can contact an experienced dentist or surgeon to identify the possible cause of the pathology.

Jaw crunching while eating

There are many reasons for jaw crunching while eating, from malocclusion to inflammatory joint diseases.

Usually, when a person's jaw crunches, it does not cause any particular problems, but sometimes it causes discomfort and pain, as a result of which the process of chewing food is disrupted.

Most often, crunching appears after a strong nervous shock, during a muscle spasm.

Often the pathology appears after treatment by an orthodontist or dentist.

My jaw is crunching on the left side

If the jaw on the left side crunches, most likely it is a dysfunction of the left temporomandibular joint. The crunch appears when opening the mouth, also with this pathology there is pain (most often when pressing) in the teeth, ears, trigger area (there is no pain directly at the site of the joint lesion), in addition to pain, tinnitus may bother.

My jaw is crunching on the right side

A crunch on the right side of the jaw may be associated with inflammation of the temporomandibular joint; in addition to crunching, in this case there may be pain when chewing, talking, etc., redness and swelling at the site of the lesion.

The temporomandibular joint bears a huge load - from chewing to speech and facial movements. The pathology is quite difficult to diagnose in the early stages, since the first signs of joint dysfunction can be headaches, tension in the neck muscles, etc., the jaw crunches already at later stages of the disease.

To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe an MRI, arthroscopy, or X-ray.

The child cracks his jaw

A child, as well as an adult, has a jaw that crunches for various reasons. The pathology can develop due to the habit of sucking a finger or sleeping on a hand, adenoids, bruxism, malocclusion, etc.

The appearance of crunching in any case is associated with dysfunction of the lower jaw joint. As already mentioned, the pathology also affects the ears, neck, chewing muscles, since the lower jaw joints are located very close to the auricles, inflammation can cause hearing loss, "ringing" in the ears.

Treatment for jaw crunching

Treatment of jaw crunching is most often carried out by a dentist, orthopedist or surgeon (often several specialists treat one patient).

The treatment process depends on the cause of the crunch, but the basis of any therapy is the use of a soft joint splint, which relieves the load on the joint, reduces muscle tension, and limits teeth grinding. The splint helps to eliminate the signs of inflammation of the lower jaw joint almost immediately.

To reduce painful sensations, medications (sedatives, glucocorticosteroids, botulinum, antidepressants, etc.) and physiotherapeutic procedures (electrophoresis, laser therapy, ultrasound treatment, etc.) are prescribed. Psychotherapeutic and biofeedback treatment can be used as part of complex therapy for functional relaxation of the masticatory muscles.

Glucocorticosteroids (hydrocortisone, prednisolone, betamethasone, etc.) are widely used to treat arthritis. They have an immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effect, and the therapeutic effect of intra-articular or intravenous administration is achieved within a few hours. With long-term treatment with low doses of the drug, functional improvement in the patient's condition is observed. The drugs are prescribed in the form of injections or tablets.

Intra-articular injections are administered after preliminary removal of fluid from the joint; after a single injection, the patient is observed for a week and conclusions are made about the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment; if necessary, the procedure is repeated.

Glucocorticosteroids in tablet form are prescribed individually, taking into account the patient's condition and the severity of the disease. It is usually recommended to take 4-6 tablets per day, gradually reducing the dosage to a maintenance dose (1-3 tablets).

Treatment of joints with botulinum has been used in medicine relatively recently, it was believed that this toxin has a strong toxic effect on the body, but studies have shown that in minimal doses the drug has a therapeutic effect - it relaxes muscles, relieves inflammation, and prevents degenerative changes in the joints. An injection with botulinum is made directly into the affected area.

BOS treatment is based not on direct physical impact, but on normalization of reactions by retraining the nervous system (autonomic or central). Special devices record disturbances of physiological parameters (muscle spasm, ligament weakness, etc.), transmit them to a computer, where the disturbances are analyzed, then the parameters are returned to the patient, but in a modified form, for example, in the form of musical sounds, as a result of such "reverse action" the normal functioning of the body is restored. Usually, such a method of treatment is prescribed for stress, nervous tension, anxiety and other conditions that have led to spasm of the jaw muscles and crunching.

Electrophoresis (current treatment) helps reduce pain, improve tissue metabolism, blood circulation and partially restore joints. In addition, this procedure delivers various medications to deeper layers, for example, dimexide to reduce inflammation, analgin, novocaine for more effective pain relief, etc.

Ultrasound shows the greatest efficiency in the treatment of joints. This physiotherapeutic procedure relieves pain well, eliminates muscle spasms, improves metabolism, restores the acid-base balance in the joints. Ultrasound is prescribed for arthritis of the temporomandibular joint, in most cases after several sessions the condition of patients improves noticeably.

For arthrosis of the lower jaw joint, two types of medications are usually used:

• painkillers
• chondroprotectors

Painkillers are prescribed to eliminate pain; this group of drugs may include ketanol, ibuprofen, ketorol, etc. (1-2 tablets 3 times a day).

Chondroprotectors are necessary for the restoration and nutrition of cartilage tissue - chondrolon, teraflex, chondroitin, etc. (1-2 capsules 3 times a day).

The effectiveness of these drugs has been proven by numerous studies in the field of joint treatment, however, they do not help to stop the destruction of the joint surface. Complete recovery, unfortunately, is almost impossible, but it is quite possible to significantly slow down the pathological process in the joints and partially restore tissue. It is worth noting that chondroprotectors are not used during pregnancy or breastfeeding, allergies to the components of the drug, and are prescribed with caution for gastrointestinal diseases.

Depending on the indications, dental treatment may be prescribed to restore the correct bite, re-prosthetics, grinding of teeth, etc.

If conservative treatment does not show the desired effect, surgical intervention is prescribed - arthroplasty, myotomy (dissection of muscles to eliminate dysfunction), condylotomy (dissection of the head of the lower jaw joint, etc.)

Arthroplasty is prescribed when the joint is completely immobilized (adhesive process), the procedure helps to recreate the natural shape of the articular surfaces and restore mobility, the operation is not performed in the presence of inflammatory processes.

Good efficiency is achieved through complex therapy – medications, orthodontic and dental treatment, surgery, physiotherapy, etc.

In some cases, when the jaw crunches, it is necessary to wear a joint splint at night (helps eliminate myofascial pain).

What to do if your jaw crunches?

If your jaw is crunching, you can do simple exercises:

• movement of the lower jaw in different directions, forward and backward

To reduce pain, you can apply a warm compress or take a painkiller.

At the first opportunity, you should consult a doctor - a gnathologist, orthodontist, dentist or surgeon.

Jaw crunching occurs in 70% of people, and women suffer from this pathology twice as often as men.

At the first unpleasant sensations, problems with opening or closing the mouth, chewing, crunching, pain, you should immediately contact a gnathologist or orthodontist, who will help identify the cause of the disease, if necessary, refer you for consultation to other specialists and prescribe effective treatment.