Jaw Pain Following an Auto Accident Is Something We Should Check
Posted on 12/23/2021 by Ankur Johri
Auto accidents characterize strong forces that act on the human body. These forces can cause damage immediately, but, in some victims, there could be delayed problems and symptoms such as jaw pain. Patients may also experience difficulty in chewing and hearing from the impact of this force.
Why Your Jaw Hurts After an Auto Accident
An injured jaw will hurt after an accident due to a fracture or dislocation. If you have a dislocated jaw, you will experience ear pain, difficulty opening and closing your mouth, chewing, and speech. Your teeth will also feel misaligned and loose. While these signs are obvious, you need to see us for a checkup and treatment.
TMJ After a Car Accident
Whiplash injuries from motor accidents mainly cause TMJ. If you are in a car accident, where a car hits yours from behind, the collision force will make your head fling forward and backward. This pushes your jaws open, adding pressure to the temporomandibular joints. In some people, this pain will result if they strike their jaws on the steering wheel or dashboard during the accident. You may stay from a day to weeks before experiencing any serious symptoms after which the damage is severe. This is why we advise you to see us as soon as you can after your car accident. TMJ symptoms to look out for include the inability to open your mouth wide or pain when opening it, difficulty in biting or chewing, popping jaw noise, earaches and pain, and facial swelling on the sides.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Since jaw pain manifests in a vast of symptoms, it may be difficult to diagnose the cause. However, if you visit us, we will conduct a physical test and X-ray on your ears, jaws, and neck to identify the cause. We will then recommend appropriate treatment depending on the severity of the injury. For diagnosis and treatment of jaw pain following an auto accident, contact our office today.
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