The feeling of a jaw that won’t close or open and seems as if it’s stuck is one of the worst feelings someone can experience. It’s terrifying, it’s painful, and it’s random. But what exactly causes it? The team at my El Paso dental office is here to hopefully ease your worries and explain what may be to blame.
Before we dive into the specifics of what may be causing your jaw to feel locked in position, we’d like to clear up some terminology. The term lockjaw isn’t the same thing as jaw lock, although often used interchangeably. Lockjaw is a result of tetanus — a very serious, potentially fatal bacterial infection usually caused by a cut from a rusty piece of metal. Jaw lock, however, is what we’re talking about here and is directly related to the temporomandibular joint, also referred to as the TMJ.
Now that we know the difference between lockjaw and jaw lock, let’s look into two possible explanations behind the latter.
It’s important to note that not all symptoms are experienced by everyone, and you should see your dentist in El Paso for a proper diagnosis. Some additional symptoms besides jaw lock include:
A clicking or popping noise or sensation when opening and closing the mouth
Jaw pain that increases when opening the mouth widely, like a yawn
Don’t have a dentist but experiencing jaw lock? We welcome you to call my El Paso dental office to schedule an appointment. We’ll evaluate your jaw joint and talk with you about the symptoms you’re having so we’re able to diagnose what’s happening and recommend the best treatment for you.
Accepting patients from El Paso, Las Cruces, Cloudcroft.
He was excellent and pulled my wisdom tooth in less than 2 min. w/o chipping it. The service was good too.
Great dentist experience! While they do take my insurance, unfortunately, they are not part of my network, however, I liked them so much I will continue to see them.
We were very impressed with the helpful and friendly staff at this dental office.
I was very impressed and thankful with the service provided.
I’m 60 years old and I hated to go to the dentist, and put off going for a long time. But let me tell you Dr. Rizk is the best dentist I’ve ever had. I would of gone years ago. A no pain Dr. – thank you!
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