The jaw joint is a unique joint in the body. It moves differently to all other joints. Sometimes this can go wrong and patients notice some clicking or popping of the joint just in front of the ear. Most of the time this is not painful, and some physiotherapy and exercises can help. However, the joint and/or the muscles can become tender. This can cause headaches and facial pain.

The aim of treatment is to help the muscles relax and allow the joint to function relatively smoothly. A dental splint may need to be worn for some time to improve the way the upper and lower jaws work together.

This enables:
• The muscles to relax, stopping the headaches and facial pain
• If the joint has been damaged it can be allowed to heal. Although a damaged joint will not be repair completely it can be stabilised to allow it to function relatively normally.