Not all jaw pain leads to teeth extractions. There are many other issues that cause chronic jaw and facial pain in adults. No matter the issue, it’s worth contacting your dentist to get to the bottom of the matter. 

The dentists and staff at Bridgeview Dental Group in Kodiak, AK, specialize in and treat many causes of adult jaw and facial pain. Though sometimes teeth extractions are necessary, they instruct patients never to wait until an issue requires emergency dentistry. 

Some Common Causes of Jaw Pain

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are notorious for causing jaw pain in adults. Impacted wisdom teeth place incredible amounts of pressure on the teeth in front of them, especially if those wisdom teeth are coming in on their sides. Wisdom teeth extractions are necessary to rectify this issue. 

Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ) Pain

Some adults have issues with TMJ. This is all too common if the temporal mandibular joint is out of place or inflamed. Adults who experience this type of tension feel pain in and around their mouth and jaw. Sometimes corrective surgery is needed, but more often than not, the issue can be rectified through the use of a custom-made dental appliance. 

Clenching or Grinding

Nighttime clenching or grinding can cause undue stress and pain in the jaw and teeth. Clenching most often happens while you are asleep, as stressors from the day cause the muscles of the jaw to tense up. Despite the force exerted on jaw muscles and teeth, the clenching is not enough to wake some people up from a sound sleep. To rectify this, your dentist will give you a custom-made mouth guard. This appliance takes away jaw pain and saves teeth from cracking and chipping.

The caring dentists and staff of Bridgeview Dental Group will meet with you to get to the bottom of your chronic jaw and facial pain. Call their office at (907) 486-3257 today to schedule an initial consultation, or visit the website to learn more about their fees and services.