Signs your jaw needs a check
- pain in the jaw, in front of the ear or in the temples, often worse when chewing
- clicking, popping or grating when you open your mouth
- a jaw that locks, or won’t open as wide as before
- headaches or a tired, tight jaw on waking
- teeth that are worn flat, chipped or sensitive, or crowns and fillings that keep breaking
- a partner who hears you grinding at night
What causes it
Clenching and grinding (bruxism), often linked to stress and poor sleep, are the commonest causes. Others include an injury to the jaw, arthritis in the joint, a disc in the joint that has slipped out of place, and sometimes a bite that has changed after teeth were lost or worn. Often there’s more than one cause.
What we do
- Assessment. Dr. Adish examines the joints, the jaw and neck muscles, how wide you can open, your bite and the wear on your teeth. X-rays or a scan are taken if the joint itself needs looking at.
- Self-care first. Most people improve with simple changes: soft food for a while, not chewing gum, avoiding very wide yawns, warm compresses, gentle stretches and noticing daytime clenching.
- Custom splint or night guard. If grinding is damaging your teeth, or pain keeps returning, we make a splint from a scan or impressions. It’s fitted, adjusted to your bite and reviewed.
- Repairing damage. Worn or broken teeth can be rebuilt with crowns or, for widespread wear, full mouth rehabilitation, once the grinding is under control.
- Joint problems. A joint that locks, or pain that doesn’t respond, is assessed by our oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
Splints and night guards
| Night guard | TMJ (occlusal) splint | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Protect teeth from grinding | Relax the jaw muscles and ease joint strain |
| Material | Usually thinner, sometimes softer | Usually hard acrylic, precisely adjusted |
| Worn | At night | At night, sometimes for part of the day |
| Reviews | Occasional checks | Adjusted over several visits |
A 2024 Cochrane review found the evidence on how much splints reduce jaw pain is uncertain, with some studies suggesting less muscle pain when chewing. Splints are still a sensible, reversible part of treatment, especially for protecting teeth, and we combine them with self-care rather than treating them as a cure on their own.
When to seek urgent help
Go to an emergency department, or call 112, if jaw pain comes with chest pain, breathlessness or pain spreading down the arm, or if your jaw has locked open and won’t close. Swelling, fever or a jaw injury also need to be seen the same day; call us on +91 95410 93573.
What affects the fee
The assessment, any scans, the type of splint or night guard, and the number of adjustment visits. You get a written estimate after the examination.
Questions patients ask us
What is TMJ?
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge in front of each ear that connects your lower jaw to your skull. "TMJ" is often used to mean TMJ disorders (TMD), problems with the joint or the chewing muscles that cause pain, clicking or stiffness.
Can TMJ go away on its own?
Often, yes. Many cases settle within weeks with self-care such as soft food, rest for the jaw, heat or ice and gentle exercises. If it doesn't, or keeps coming back, a dental assessment helps.
Do splints and night guards work?
A night guard reliably protects the teeth from grinding damage. For jaw pain, splints help many people, although research on how much they help is mixed. We combine a splint with self-care and other measures rather than relying on it alone.
What's the difference between a night guard and a TMJ splint?
A night guard is a thin cover that protects teeth from grinding. A TMJ splint (occlusal splint) is usually a harder, precisely adjusted appliance designed to relax the muscles and take strain off the joint. Both are made to fit your teeth exactly.
Can jaw pain be a sign of a heart attack?
It can. Jaw pain together with chest pain, breathlessness, sweating or pain down the left arm needs emergency help. Call 112 straight away.
Can a shop-bought mouthguard work?
Boil-and-bite sports guards are bulky and can make clenching worse for some people. A custom night guard fits your bite and is thinner and more comfortable to sleep in.
Is TMJ treated by a dentist or a doctor?
Usually by a dentist, because the jaw muscles, the bite and the teeth are all involved. Joint problems that need imaging, injections or surgery are managed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and we have one at the clinic.
Sources
NHS: temporomandibular disorder (TMD) ↗NHS: teeth grinding ↗NIDCR: TMD ↗Singh et al., Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2024 ↗Last updated 14 October 2026. This page explains options in general terms; your own plan comes from an examination.