See someone urgently if
- A jaw that locks closed and will not open, or locks open and will not close
- Jaw pain with facial swelling or fever
- Sudden change in how the teeth meet, with no dental work done
- Jaw pain alongside chest pain, breathlessness or arm pain, which can be cardiac and needs emergency care
- Numbness in the face, or a lump in front of the ear
Otherwise, book in the normal way. Call +91 83036 12717.
What causes it
Muscle overuse from clenching and grinding
The commonest cause by some distance. The muscles that close the jaw are extremely powerful and are not designed for sustained contraction through the night. The result is a dull ache in front of the ear and along the cheek, often worse on waking, sometimes with headaches at the temples.
Disc displacement in the joint
A small cartilage disc sits between the jaw bone and the skull. When it slips forward, it can snap back into place as you open, which is the click people hear. If it stops relocating, the jaw catches or locks. Clicking without pain or restriction is common, harmless, and needs no treatment.
Arthritis in the joint
Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis affecting the jaw joint produces a grating sensation rather than a clean click, with stiffness worst in the morning.
Stress and posture
Clenching is largely a stress behaviour, and periods of jaw pain track periods of stress closely. Sustained forward head posture at a desk also loads the jaw muscles.
Referred causes
A wisdom tooth infection, ear infection, sinusitis or a dental abscess can all present as jaw pain, which is why an examination comes before any jaw-specific treatment. Jaw pain with chest or arm symptoms can be cardiac and is an emergency.
What helps before you are seen
Rest the jaw
Soft diet for two weeks. No chewing gum, no hard or chewy food, cut food into small pieces, and avoid opening wide. This alone resolves a large share of acute episodes.
Heat on the muscles
A warm compress over the cheek and temple for fifteen minutes, several times a day, relaxes muscles in spasm. Use cold instead if there has been a recent injury or there is swelling.
Notice the daytime clench
Teeth should be apart at rest, with lips together. Most people who clench do it during the day too and are unaware. Simply catching yourself and letting the jaw drop, repeatedly, changes the habit over weeks.
Anti-inflammatories short term
Ibuprofen, where you tolerate it, for a few days during a flare, addresses both pain and muscle inflammation.
Support the jaw when yawning
A hand under the chin when yawning prevents the wide opening that commonly triggers a lock.
How it is treated
Examination and diagnosis
Distinguishing muscular pain from joint pain matters, because the management differs. Checking the bite, the muscles, joint sounds and opening range, and ruling out a dental cause, comes first.
A night guard
The mainstay of treatment. A hard acrylic splint worn at night protects the teeth from grinding wear and, in most patients, reduces muscle pain substantially. Guards cost roughly ₹4,000 to ₹12,000 in Lucknow.
Jaw exercises and physiotherapy
Controlled opening exercises and stretching help disc displacement and muscular restriction. This is genuinely effective and under-used.
Treating the dental cause where there is one
An infected wisdom tooth, a high filling that has changed the bite, or a missing back tooth forcing chewing onto one side can all drive jaw pain. Correcting it resolves the symptom.
Why irreversible treatment comes last
Grinding teeth down to adjust the bite, or extensive crown work undertaken to treat jaw pain, cannot be undone if it does not help. Conservative management resolves the great majority of cases, and current guidance is to exhaust it first. Be cautious of a large restorative plan proposed as the answer to jaw pain.
Jaw pain and clicking: common questions
Is jaw clicking serious?
Usually not. Painless clicking with normal opening is common and needs no treatment. It matters when it comes with pain, when the jaw catches or locks, or when your opening has become restricted. Clicking alone is not a reason to start treatment.
Does a night guard fix jaw pain?
It helps most patients substantially, by protecting teeth from grinding wear and reducing muscle overload overnight. It manages the problem rather than curing it, since the underlying clenching behaviour continues, but it is the single most useful intervention and it is reversible.
How long does jaw pain take to settle?
Most acute episodes settle within two to four weeks with jaw rest, heat and a soft diet. Chronic cases fluctuate with stress and are managed rather than cured. Pain that is not improving after a month warrants reassessment.
Can dental treatment cause jaw pain?
Yes, in two ways. A long appointment held wide open can strain the joint and muscles for a few days. Separately, a filling or crown left slightly high changes how the teeth meet and can cause persistent pain until it is adjusted, which takes minutes. Mention it rather than waiting for it to settle.
Should I have my bite adjusted to fix TMJ?
Not as a first step, and not without strong justification. Grinding teeth down or rebuilding the bite is irreversible and cannot be undone if the pain does not improve. Conservative treatment resolves the majority of cases, and current guidance is to exhaust reversible options first.
Medically reviewed
Reviewed by Dr. Dhanya Saxena, BDS, MHA, FMC, FAOI, oro-dental surgeon and aesthetic physician at Redefine Dental and Facial Aesthetic, Indira Nagar, Lucknow. Dental Council registration 20935. Last reviewed 30 August 2026.
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Prices are prevailing Lucknow market ranges, not a quotation. If you have facial swelling, difficulty swallowing or difficulty breathing, seek emergency medical care rather than a routine appointment.