Question 7 - Is my jaw dislocated?

[@shannonelledge2324]

Thank you. My dentist really applied a lot of pressure to my lower jaw yesterday. My dentist tales Fridays off. So again thank you for helping me and thank you for going to school

[@CapuchinMonkey1]

So helpful! I'd been freaking out all afternoon my jaw was dislocated and all webpages said yes, but you described my symptoms to a T when it comes to having sprained it instead of a dislocation. Saved me a doctors visit. Only downside is it's the side of my jaw where I hadn't had TMJ before. I don't need both sides to be a pain! Thank you :)

[@facts1x1]

Yes thank you ! I was freaking out because my bite is changed i have no pain but a tight jaw muscles and face tightness and slight ear ache sometimes it's been 5 days my Joint is locked can't open it fully and i was really worried about if My bite but my lower jaw slightly moved little backward and i need to move it little forward to bite it's though little change its not visible i can only feel it ....

[@carlospalomo9121]

My jaw was pulled from left to right at a chiropractor and something poped on my right side of my jaw. now I've been going thru all of the symptoms of TMJ. time passed im starting to eat a little better but still soft foods im still having problems yawning i yawn with my mouth closed im afraid to yawn normal. My question is how wide is my mouth supposed to open so I don't over do it.

[@BuffaloTMJ]

Three fingers. I think I have a range of motion video in here somewhere.

[@carlospalomo9121]

@@BuffaloTMJ thank you

[@DaddyLyzerrah]

I can barely fit two fingers in my mouth. But when I move my lower jaw forward, it makes a clicking sound, and then I can open it wider, fitting almost four fingers. Moving my jaw forward and backward keeps making this uncomfortable clicking sound. I can also feel it at the top of both sides of my jaw, and it's been this way for many months. When I first got my jaw locked, I could only take small bites of food. But after I accidentally moved my jaw forward while brushing my teeth, I found out that doing that widens my mouth. So whenever I eat something, I always move my jaw forward. But now, when I eat or drink something, I don't think about it, and my jaw automatically opens without me even thinking about it, and it feels normal, like it's opening naturally.

[@lita5543]

What happened now

[@Suuegrl]

Hi, I had robotic surgery Dec 27, it is now 8/27. Surgery was to remove some tissue and a small area of cancer. I have no teeth, accept in a jar. I use to be able to eat with out teeth fine. I have been doing stretching and still on the non surgical side I cannot touch gums together , well on both sides, but surgery side, which was way back, they scraped down to the jaw bone. I am a small person, at 110 lbs normally. I have osteoporosis. I am concerned something happened to dislocate my jaw during surgery. I was told during these types of surgeries, that the muscles get stretched quite a bit. I can bite into a corn on the cob, mouth doesn't open as it should but I can do this. But what I cannot do is place food in the back of my good side and connect top and bottom to chew the food. Any food. I have been on a feeding tube for 2 months now. Have at cat scan, and new doc wants me to get a thereabite. I have however read that if the jaw is dislocated, the only real way to see this is with an mri. Food smells so good, I use to be a cook. And I am in tears over this. Soft. soggy food I can eat, accept scrambled eggs, as the smaller pieces get lost in my mouth and have to spit those out. Basically if I can swallow it in chucks is the only way i can get it down. One cannot taste swallowing chunks and I fear of choking as well. Any suggestions? Please and Thank You.

[@G_0_0_Zroot]

Question: I had a lower middle back tooth removed, and don't chew or use that side of as much now. Even tho I noticed this, I'm not sure how to keep my mouth/jaw proportionate or neutral. One of my sides is favored, creating imbalances. There's a really uncomfortable pain in a (neck?) muscle connecting under my jaw on the side w/ the missing tooth.. How can i check-in and make sure my jaw is aligned throughout the day w/out doing a lot of weird exercises, when I'm in meetings or around people for example. I don't want to stretch that neck muscle that's causing pain, because stretching feels like it makes it worse and gives me anxiety knowing I caused more pain by stretching it. I think it's more of a jaw issue than neck issue. Not sure if this is where you leave questions or if this will get answered😅, but thank you for the videos you've been doing. I would Never go to the doctor for this. It's only because of people like you that I know about this stuff.

[@BuffaloTMJ]

Diagnosis is first, which usually means some type of imaging to see if the jaw joints are aligned with your habitual bite position. The habitual bite position is usually NOT neutral. For most people, myself included, we just want to check in periodically to make sure the jaw joints aren't under constant compressive strain, i.e. clenching. A simple routine for this would be open wide, close almost all the way, move the jaw left and right, and then forward and back, and then gently tap the teeth together a couple times. I'll make a video on this one.

[@miguelcoronal897]

Stem cells in tmj? I found trial in phase 2 in internet and it works in pations with years without solution and articular cronical.

[@BuffaloTMJ]

Not a fan, but to each his own.

[@Aklassicdiva]

This happened to me. I yawned and heard a loud pop noise. It caused my disc to dislocate (w/reduction) and I’m wondering if I’ll ever go back to normal. I’ve limited my eating to soft foods for a month now. They fitted me for a splint to try to relax my condyle and allow the disc to slide back into place. In your experience, is there any chance this issue can be fixed? The reviews of people online provide little hope. I assume that’s because the people who have had the issue fixed don’t go into forums and make comments. Lol.

[@BuffaloTMJ]

It is likely that your disc was already dislocated when you yawned, and you just didn't realize it. It was asymptomatic, and probably functioning fine. When the jaw POPs during a yawn, it's almost always because the dislocated disc was stretched farther than usual, got stuck in front of the translating condyle, and the stabilizing ligaments were stretched, along with the retrodiscal tissues. The disc NEVER goes back into place, the way that it was originally. There is no predictable and reliable surgical solution. The body must adapt, and we can help it do that. BOTH of my discs are chronically dislocated without reduction, and my joints are fine. No pain, no limitation in ROM or function. Splints DO NOT allow the disc to go back into place, and the condyle can't "relax" because it's a bone. Sorry for the specificity, but I have to be very clear, and the words and definitions are very important, and must be used precisely. These issues do not get "fixed." We can make things that help protect injured structures, like splints and casts and slings. There needs to be a period of rest, then a period of mobility, then a period of strengthening.

[@Aklassicdiva]

@@BuffaloTMJ Thank you!! This response is very helpful. I had one more question. You mentioned “recapturing a disc and keeping it there” to someone else. What is the difference? Also, I’m located in the DMV area and was wondering if you did virtual consultations?

[@Aklassicdiva]

@@BuffaloTMJ One more thing 😊 The yawning displaced my disc. I had a MRI of my brain and ears earlier this year which also showed my jaw. When they compared the images from before and now, my disc was in place. I just want the discomfort and clicking to stop.

[@BuffaloTMJ]

I sometimes do virtual consultations, but I'm not sure I can add very much value that way, and I have to charge for my time.

[@BuffaloTMJ]

I don't believe anything anymore unless I personally review images. In a brain MRI, I'm luck to be able to see one slice that KIND OF shows the TMJ, but not at the correct angulation. Radiological interpretation is more subjective than people think.

[@Bunny_XD]

My jaw on the left side started hurting when I bite but as u mentioned I was able to do the 2 knuckle measures. It just hurts so I'm not sure what's wrong

[@Spy-v6z]

If u have a dislocated jaw does it cause misaligned teeth (top and bottom) pain in front of ear with burning sensation, hurts to swallow, turn head or suck from a straw? What do u do if a dentist isn't open?

[@mensworkbg]

Hello Doctor Dolgos. Question: how would you unlock a jaw locked closed / DDWOR. Usually during night sleep I'd get my jaw to lock up and I am unable to open it. Yesterday this happened again and it's been more than 24h now that I am unable to fully open my mouth or eat any food. Would you recommend me to try the Dolgos' Maneuvre as described by you here kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6q8eJxrmN5lba8 Any additional insight in this direction would be much appreciated.

[@BuffaloTMJ]

You can try that maneuver, but be gentle. Once a click progresses to an episodic lock, it's usually past the point where we can "recapture" the disc and keep it there. In my practice, once a disc displacement has progressed to a closed lock (disc displacement without reduction), I do NOT attempt to "reduce" the condyle back onto the disc. I have tried injection techniques, and had zero success. Other TMJ docs may have had different experiences, but in my hands, it doesn't work. Either way, an MRI is essential at this point. After that, work on basic range of motion exercises to regain your full range of motion. It may take a while. And it sounds like you need to wear something at night to protect your joints from compression.

[@mensworkbg]

@@BuffaloTMJ thank you doctor! First time I've had this happen (permanent lock for such a long duration) went to a surgeon they tried to manipulate the joint, to no avail. and they offered injections with liquid + prescriped steroids to relax the muscles. Scheduled for an MRI today. From your experience would the next step be some kind of surgical intervention ? I am going to visit a physio as well to help with relaxing jaw muscles and range of motion. Thank you once again!