Jaw Pain and TMJ, Hamilton

Jaw Sore, Stiff or Clicking?

Q: Should I worry about my jaw clicking?

A click with no pain is common and usually nothing to worry about. If it comes with pain, or your jaw catches, locks or won't open fully, it's worth having it assessed. Treatment is usually simple: a splint, a few habit changes such as cutting out chewing gum, and softer food for a while often stop it getting worse.

Q: Can stress make my jaw ache?

Very often, yes. Stress increases clenching, both in the day without you noticing and while you sleep, and the jaw muscles take the strain. Catching the daytime clench (the resting position is lips together, teeth apart) and wearing a night guard for sleep together make the biggest difference. Warm compresses and gentle stretching can ease sore muscles in the meantime.

Q: Can a night guard help jaw pain?

Usually, when the pain comes from grinding and clenching in your sleep: most people feel the difference within a few weeks as the muscles get a break. When the joint is the source rather than the muscles, a rigid splint fine-tuned to your bite over a few appointments (£620) does better than a standard guard. If things don't improve, we'll look again for other causes. A night guard costs £210.

Q: Can my dentist diagnose TMJ disorder?

Yes, temporomandibular disorder is diagnosed by examining the jaw joints, the chewing muscles and your bite, together with your history and an X-ray if needed. Most cases can be managed here with a splint, advice on habits and simple jaw exercises. If there are signs of something more, such as a jaw that locks repeatedly or changes in the joint on an X-ray, we'll refer you to a hospital oral and maxillofacial team.

Most jaw pain we see in Hamilton comes from overworked chewing muscles, usually from clenching or grinding, and most of it eases with simple self-care and, where needed, a night guard (£210) or splint. At an examination we check the joint, the muscles and how your teeth meet, and make sure it isn't something else, such as a tooth or ear problem.It's usually overworked jaw muscles from clenching or grinding, and most cases ease with simple care and a well-fitted splint.

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Emergency appointment £70, whether or not you're registered with us. When we're closed, phone NHS 24 on 111. ¹

Self-Care for Now

Things that usually help in the first few days, before you're seen.

Give the Jaw a Break

Eat soft food in small pieces for a few days. Skip chewing gum, toffee and crusty rolls, and try not to open wide when you yawn.

Warmth, Then Gentle Movement

Hold a warm flannel against the sore side for around ten minutes. Then slowly open and close a few times. Repeat two or three times a day.

Catch Yourself Clenching

At rest, your teeth shouldn't touch. Let your lips meet, keep your teeth slightly apart and rest your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Check this whenever you remember, at the desk or in the car.

Short-Term Pain Relief

Over-the-counter painkillers or anti-inflammatories can help for a few days. Follow the packet, and check with a pharmacist if you take other medicines.

How We Can Help

Most jaw pain is muscular and settles with straightforward measures. The aim is to find out what's keeping it going.

A Thorough Examination

We feel the chewing muscles and the joint, measure how wide you open, check how your teeth meet and look for wear. We take an X-ray if the joint or a tooth needs a closer look.

Correcting the Bite

A new filling or crown that sits slightly high, or gaps where back teeth are missing, can overload the joint. Easing or replacing them often helps.

A Night Guard

For grinding or clenching in your sleep, a custom night guard (£210) spreads the force and lets the muscles rest.

A Hard Splint

For pain that keeps coming back, heavy wear or a clicking joint, a rigid splint is adjusted over several visits so the muscles can relax (from £620).

Habits and Triggers

Stress, long hours at a screen, lots of coffee, nail biting and gum chewing all add to clenching. We'll talk through which of these apply to you.

Onward Referral

If the jaw keeps locking, or the pain doesn't respond to treatment, we refer you to a hospital oral and maxillofacial team, directly or through your GP.

Call 999 or Go to A&E If

Your jaw has locked open and you can't close your mouth

You've had a blow to the face and your teeth no longer bite together the way they did

The jaw pain comes with chest pain, shortness of breath or pain moving into your arm. This can be a heart attack

Book in with Us If

The jaw aches or clicks on most days, or catches briefly when you open

You wake with a stiff jaw, tight cheeks or a headache at the temples

Your front teeth are getting shorter or chipped, or fillings keep breaking

You have earache or pain just in front of the ear, but no ear infection

The pain began soon after a new filling or crown

About the Jaw Joint

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sits just in front of each ear, where the lower jaw hinges on the skull. A small disc of cartilage cushions it, and a group of strong muscles in the cheeks and temples moves it. Problems with any of these are grouped together as temporomandibular disorder, or TMD.

A click with no pain is common and usually harmless; it often just means the disc is slightly out of step with the joint. Pain, stiffness or a jaw that catches are the signs worth getting checked. In most people the muscles, not the joint itself, are the source.

What to Expect From Treatment

Simple measures help most people within a few weeks. A guard or splint usually reduces morning stiffness fairly quickly. Where stress or poor sleep is driving the clenching, it can come back in busy spells, and we'll be straight with you about that.

We don't recommend grinding down healthy teeth to change the bite as a first step for jaw pain. Reversible treatment comes first.

Jaw Pain Fees

An emergency visit is a single fee. Any longer-term treatment is quoted in writing before it starts. Fees checked October 2026. ¹

Same-day emergency appointment	£70
Dental examination	£70
Night guard	£210
Hard occlusal splint	from £620
Large X-ray	£75

Our full price list

Your Questions

Causes, clicking, splints and stress.

Why does my jaw hurt?–

Most jaw pain comes from the chewing muscles being overworked by clenching or grinding, often at night and often linked to stress. Less often the trouble is in the joint itself, such as the disc inside slipping out of place (which causes clicking) or wear in the joint. A bite that has changed, for example after a high filling or lost teeth, can set off either. Toothache and sinus problems can also feel like jaw pain, so it's worth a check; read more about jaw pain and TMJ.

Should I worry about my jaw clicking?+

Can stress make my jaw ache?+

Can a night guard help jaw pain?+

Can my dentist diagnose TMJ disorder?+

What's the difference between a night guard and a splint?+

Guides

Grinding and Jaw Guides

All general dentistry guides

General dentistry · 6 minute read

Filling, onlay or crown: choosing a repair

Get Your Jaw Looked At

An examination finds out what's behind the pain and what would ease it, before anything is made or changed.

Call 01698 767220Book a same-day appointment

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