If your mouth does not open properly and you hear a sound from your jaw, what should be checked?

A clicking or grinding sound when opening the mouth, and the jaw getting stuck either while opening (so it won't open fully) or after opening (so it won't close), may have different meanings. If there is only sound without pain or locking, there are cases where the course can be observed.

Check whether the jaw deviates to one side when opening the mouth, and also check for pain when chewing or yawning.

• Pain in the front of the jaw when opening the mouth
• Clicking or a grinding sound like sand
• The mouth does not open well, or is deviated to one side.
• The mouth remains open after being opened and cannot close, or the jaw gets locked.
• Fatigue and pain when chewing tough food
• Tension around the temples and neck, and jaw stiffness in the morning

It is important to assess not only pain and sound, but also the extent to which functions such as eating, yawning, and speaking are restricted.

If, after a blow to the jaw, your mouth will not close or your upper and lower teeth suddenly do not meet properly, it may be a fracture or dislocation and you should be seen right away. If your mouth stays open after a yawn and will not close, do not force it shut; have it checked at a medical institution.

If, rather than clicking or locking, the area around the jaw is swollen with a fever or a particular tooth throbs, it may be a tooth or gum infection, so prompt dental care is recommended. If one side of the face suddenly becomes paralyzed, your speech becomes slurred, and a severe headache appears, do not assume it is a jaw problem; call 119 (Korea's emergency number) or go to an emergency room immediately.

We ask when the sound first appeared and whether you have experienced locking, and if so, how often and how long it lasted. We also check whether your jaw feels stiff in the morning, whether you clench your teeth during the day, and whether you have had recent dental treatment.

During the examination, we look at how wide the mouth opens, at what point the sound occurs during opening and closing, and in which direction the jaw deviates. We press on the chewing and temple muscles to see whether pain is reproduced and observe whether jaw symptoms change with neck movement, and if a bite or tooth problem is suspected, we guide you to a dental evaluation.

Chuna manual therapy may be considered when there are no warning signs and movement around the jaw joint, neck and upper cervical spine, as well as chewing-muscle tension, need to be managed together. We do not explain this as a treatment that forcefully presses the jaw or corrects asymmetry in one session.

It may help to reduce tough or hard foods, wide yawning and chewing only on one side, and to check that the upper and lower teeth are not kept in contact continuously.