I noticed that quite a few people are searching for “TMJ Clicking” or “TMJ Clicking Sounds” on google. I have also noticed that there are people giving potentially misleading advice on this topic. Some medical professionals have written that clicking sounds are a “symptom of TMJ and that clicking sounds may lead to pain if “left untreated.” Well, I will say as always, that I am not a doctor” nor medical profesional and cannot give advice in that regard. But it could be prudent to note that the National Institute of Health (NIH) has stated emphantically:
“There is no scientific proof that clicking sounds in the jaw joint lead to serious problems. In fact, jaw clicking is common in the general population. Jaw noises alone, without pain or limited jaw movement, do not indicate a TMJ disorder and do not warrant treatment.
So, what should you do if you have clicking sounds in your Jaw or TMJ? Consult your doctor or dentist to be sure. But remember that many people have clicking sounds in their jaw and they do not have pain. Be conservative in your approach to TMJ and get a second opinion (and perhaps even a third) if someone wants to operate or give you a dental device or any other expensive, invasive treatment.
cheers! And good luck – Ryan
My apologies. I noticed that this blog post has very similar content to the one that I wrote below! I have no explanation other than it has been many months since I wrote the prior blog post. And, I suppose this idea of “clicking sounds” and their supposed relationship to TMJ is highly annoying to me.