Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 7/8/2006

Question
I have a question.  For about a year or two now I have been able to pop the right side of my jaw at will.  It just started one day but I can't remember how.  Anytime I want I can just pop my jaw like you can crack your knuckles.  It kind of freaks me out.  I don't really feel any pain but lately I've had some pressure in the socket or whatever it is on the right side.  It seems like popping it makes it feel better but I don't think that it should.  Should I be concerned about this?  And is there anyway I can make it stop?  And why does it happen?

Thanks

Mitchell.

Answer
Dear Mitchell,

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) makes noise as its various mechanical components move against each other. So do all the joints of the body, but the TMJ is located immediately in front of the ears, which makes its noise particularly conspicuous.

The question here is just why your joint noise has increased, and that is something I cannot judge. This phenomenon can occur after an injury to the joint (for example, tissue tearing following excessively wide opening of the mouth), or may simply be the result of altered geometry of the joint brought about by growth of the bones. TMJ noise is thought to have something to do with a fibrous disc or "meniscus" that lies between the articulating surfaces of the lower jaw and skull base. It may occur when the disc and the jaw do not move synchronously, or may be the result of irregularities in the disc surface, or may even be due to a permanent positional change of the disc in the joint capsule.

One thing that should be mentioned is that you should not intentionally provoke joint noise, since this could further irritate the joint components or the associated muscles. Joint noise alone is seldom a concern (there's not much that can be done about it anyway), but it may be a harbinger of functional joint dysfunction-- limitation of joint range of motion, locking of the jaw, or joint pain. If any of these symptoms occur, you should definitely bring them to the attention of your dentist.

Hope this helps...

Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY