The Common Causes of Jaw Pain After a Fall

Some people may be involved in minor accidents, such as falls, in which they hit their chins on a hard surface, such as a wall. Such people may feel some minor discomfort after that fall. However, they may feel some intense pain in the jaw a few days after that fall. This article discusses some of the reasons that can explain why you could be feeling that jaw pain a few days after a fall.

Dislocated Teeth

The fall may have caused one or more of your teeth to be displaced. That displacement could have resulted in your teeth becoming misaligned. Consequently, you may start feeling jaw pain because the ligaments beneath those misaligned teeth may no longer be able to absorb the energy generated when you bite or chew food.

An Injured Jaw Joint

You could have accidentally traumatised the jaw joint during the fall. That trauma or injury could have then caused some swelling within the joint space. That swelling may now be preventing the head of the joint ball (the condyle) to sit fully within the joint space. The pain that you are experiencing may be the result of the prolonged failure of the head of the jaw joint to sit in its normal space.

A Minor Fracture

Another possible cause of the pain that you are experiencing could be a minor fracture on your lower jaw. The fall could have caused a minor fracture just below the head of the joint ball. This fracture can cause severe pain that does not reduce with the passage of time. This is unlike the pain caused by the trauma/bruising of the jaw joint described above that can gradually reduce as the inflammation subsides.

A Dislocated Jaw Joint

You could be experiencing jaw pain because your jaw joint has been dislocated. When that happens, the joint head (condyle) may leave the joint space and settle where it shouldn't be. This can make you to feel intense pain each time you try to swallow something or speak. You may also feel pain as you move your head from side to side. A dislocated jaw joint may cause the side of your mouth to bulge out.

It may not be easy for you to pinpoint the actual cause of the jaw pain that you are experiencing. It is therefore very important for you to see a dentist or doctor immediately so that a proper diagnosis and treatment plan can be designed. This will prevent you from sustaining permanent damage to your dental structures.

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