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Signs You Dislocated Your Jaw
Posted on 7/7/2020 by Dr. Michael Allard
Glendale, AZ
A dislocated jaw occurs when the lower jaw disconnects from the skull. The lower jaw connects to the skull with the help of a socket like many of the other sockets on your body. The jaw is able to stay in place with the help of a muscle and cartilage. The muscle gives the jaw support while the cartilage offers padding so that the jaw can move smoothly.
How You Jaw Can Become Dislocated
There are many reasons the jaw can become dislocated. The most common is trauma to the location of the joint. The jawbone can be physically removed from the joint with the right amount of force. The jaw can also become detached on its own. It's rare that this happens to a jaw that is healthy and the cause for the dislocation may have to do with a disorder known as TMD or TMJ Disorder. Other reasons for jaw dislocation include opening the mouth too wide and dental procedures. A dislocated jaw can sometimes be difficult to diagnose on your own, however, there are some signs you can look out for if you think you may have dislocated your jaw.
Pain is the first sign you may have dislocated your jaw. The pain will stem from underneath the cheekbone and may be felt near the ear. Swelling in this location may also indicate that your jaw has become unhinged. While you may feel pain from a dislocated jaw, it may be possible that you experience numbness. If your face becomes numb anywhere after experiencing trauma to the jaw, then it's possible it had dislocated. Another sign of jaw dislocation is unusual jaw movement when opening. If your jaw moves side to side when you attempt to open it, this means your jaw is dislocated.
We can help you with jaw dislocation. It's important that you act immediately, so please give us a call at (623) 738-2564.