“Painful clicking” is a term often associated with Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMDs), marked by a clicking or popping sound accompanied by discomfort in the jaw joint. To comprehend this condition better, let’s delve into the insights provided by Los Angeles’ renowned TMJ specialist, Dr. Bruce Vafa DDS. MSc.

Painful Clicking: A Closer Look

Painful clicking is not just a sound; it’s a symptom that something may be off with the functioning of your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This joint connects your jaw to your skull and enables movements necessary for speaking, eating, and expressing emotions. When the TMJ’s intricate system of muscles, ligaments, discs, and bones isn’t working correctly, it can result in a clicking or popping sound and accompanying pain.

This phenomenon is commonly associated with TMDs, which comprise a group of conditions affecting the TMJ and the muscles that control jaw movement. The clicking sound usually occurs when the disc inside the joint moves out of its correct position (a condition known as internal derangement of the joint), or due to the degeneration of the joint structures.

Recognizing Painful Clicking

Patients with painful clicking often report a clicking or popping noise when they open or close their mouth, particularly during chewing, yawning, or talking. It is usually accompanied by discomfort or pain, which can be sharp and immediate or a dull, lingering ache.

In some cases, patients may also experience other symptoms like locking of the jaw, difficulty in jaw movement, changes in bite, facial pain, ear pain, headaches, or even neck and shoulder pain.