Talking to Your Oral Surgeon About Ear Aches

Have you been struggling with chronic ear aches for a while? Maybe you even spoke to your doctor about them, but did you seek advice from your dentist or oral surgeon? Some chronic pain in your ears can come from issues with your TMJ, which is more commonly called your jaw joint. Since your ear drum is located directly behind your TMJ, many ear issues stem back to problems that are actually with your jaw.

Problems with Your TMJ That Can Cause Your Ear to Hurt

Since your TMJ sits right in front of your ear, anything that is off within that specific joint can cause your ear to ache. All of the muscles and ligaments around that part of your head are connected, allowing pain in one area to radiate to other areas. So, if you are an avid gum, for example, you may notice your ears hurt when you are done. This is because of the heavy use of your jaw. It can even cause your jaw to spasm slightly, causing random ear aches. If you notice these, you should go in and see your oral surgeon about the problem.

You can also have things like a disorder of your TMJ that can cause pain in your jaw and the ear at the same time. If your TMJ is degenerating due to some other medical issue, this can also extend the pain back into your ear. Things like clicking when you open and close your jaw signal a problem, and should be what tells you to go in and see your oral surgeon right away.

Having an ear ache that stems from your jaw is no fun. However, it can be treated. Talk to your oral surgeon about what is going on, and let them take a look at your jaw. They should be able to help! If you have any questions, or if you would like to learn more, please call us today at (704) 255-5888.