Why might the left side of my jaw hurt at night?

Go to another dentist to get a 2nd opinion. My regular dentist didn't find two problems I had in my life.

One was a crack in a tooth, the other time it was a small piece of tooth that another dentist had left behind when he pulled it.

If it's due to a filling too close to the nerve you may have to have a root canal (which kills the tooth, and thus the pain, and then have it crowned. $$$

Other thoughts are TMJ (TemporoMandibular Joint Syndrome), clenching and grinding... all of which could cause those problems.

Read up on those. The only solution to clenching and grinding is to use a mouthpiece, which I won't do either, even though I do it and it causes me problems.

What Is TMJ?

TMJ, or temporomandibular joint disorder, means that the hinge connecting the upper and lower jaw isn't working properly. This hinge is one of the most complex joints in the body, responsible for moving the lower jaw forward, backward and side-to-side. Any problem that prevents this complex system of muscles, ligaments, discs and bones from working as it should is called TMJ. Often, TMJ feels like your jaw is popping or clicking or even "getting stuck" for a moment. The exact cause of this misalignment is often impossible to determine.

What Are the Symptoms of TMJ?

TMJ disorders have many signs and symptoms. It's often hard to know for sure if you have TMJ, because one or all of these symptoms can also be present for other problems. Your dentist can help make a proper diagnosis by taking a complete medical and dental history, conducting a clinical examination and taking appropriate X-rays.

Some of the most common TMJ symptoms include:

• Headaches (often mimicking migraines), earaches, and pain and pressure behind the eyes

• A clicking or popping sound when you open or close your mouth

• Pain brought on by yawning, opening the mouth widely or chewing

• Jaws that "get stuck," lock or go out

• Tenderness of the jaw muscles

• A sudden change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together

How Is TMJ Treated?

While there is no single cure for TMJ, there are different treatments you can follow that may reduce your symptoms dramatically. Your dentist may recommend one or more of the following:

• Trying to eliminate muscle spasm and pain by applying moist heat or taking medication such as muscle-relaxants, aspirin or other over-the-counter pain-relievers, or anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Reducing the harmful effects of clenching and grinding by wearing an appliance, sometimes called a bite plate or splint. Custom-made to fit your mouth, the appliance slips over the upper teeth and keeps them from grinding against the lower teeth.

• Learning relaxation techniques to help control muscle tension in the jaw. Your dentist may suggest you seek training or counseling to help eliminate stress.

• When the jaw joints are affected and other treatments have been unsuccessful, jaw joint surgery may be recommended.

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RE:

Why might the left side of my jaw hurt at night?

Every night, I'm in agony - the left side of my jaw and all of its teeth hurt... I can't sleep. Every night I'm suffering. I went to the dentist on Thursday. He took two X-Rays and couldn't find anything of note. He took another x-ray from a different angle, and still, he didn't...

,Try Ibuprofen,if the antibiotics do not work. Do you chew gum? some gum chewers cause jaw problems by taking the stress out on the prolonged chewing. Good luck could be a number of things you just have to rule things out daily.

Could be a couple of things. 1) you might grind your teeth 2) you might have a sinus problem Do you have sinus problems? A lot of stress? I grind my teeth, but I also clench my jaw and it can really be horrible. Try one of the over the counter mouthguards -- couldn't hurt.

If you had all those x-rays and tests and your dentist didn't find anything, then it's time to see your family doctor. It could be all sorts of things, possibly neuralgia which is an inflammation of the nerve.

Geez, I don't know much about teeth, but if you're in so much pain, I think you should try another dentist's office. Sometimes different doctors see things differently or know a lot more than the other. Hope you get better.

you dont grind your teeth in your sleep do you? I know that would definitely cause some pain. try sleeping on your right side to relieve any pressure on that side as well.

Get to a Doctor!

you grit your teeth at night, I used to do this when I was young and had to wear teeth guards.