The human body can come with plenty of random quirks. Being able to “pop” your jaw when you open your mouth wide is another interesting physical oddity, but if you’ve ever done this, you know it can just feel… wrong. Shouldn’t we leave jaw-unhinging to snakes? Here’s how to know if your ability to pop your jaw is just an interesting party trick, or if it’s a sign of something more serious.
You can thank the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) on the side of your head for that not-so-lovely jaw pop.
You have a temporomandibular joint in front of each ear to bridge the gap between your jawbone and your skull, according to the Mayo Clinic. These joints act as hinges that allow you to belt out Ariana Grande’s latest at karaoke, devour your ‘lunch’ at 11 A.M. because your stomach commanded it, and do anything else that requires opening your mouth.
These joints are pretty unique in that they’re not only able to open and close — they can slide back and forth and side to side, according to Merck Manuals, making them some of the most complex joints in your body. But sometimes your temporomandibular joints can get a little wonky, leading to a popping or clicking noise and sensation when you open your mouth wide. Luckily, this isn’t always a problem.
Being able to pop or click your jaw is really only an issue if it causes you pain or uncomfortable symptoms like jaw stiffness.
If it does, you may be dealing with a jaw condition that falls under a broader category known as TMJ disorders (or temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders). Painful clicking or popping when you open and close your mouth is one of the biggest symptoms, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), but you can also have jaw stiffness, trouble opening your mouth, feeling like your jaw is “locking,” a change in the way your upper and lower teeth fit together, and general jaw pain.
Although the cause of TMJ disorders isn’t always apparent, sometimes it comes down to an issue with a cartilage disc inside each of the joints, Erich Voigt, M.D., an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) at NYU Langone Health, tells us. These are called articular discs, and as slippery pieces of tissue, they are supposed to prevent your skull and jawbone from grinding against each other, according to Merck Manuals.
For instance, pain when you pop your jaw can be a sign that one or both of your articular discs have been pushed forward from their usual location so they can’t fully do their job, Helen Giannakopoulos, D.D.S., M.D., director of the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, says. This is a form of what’s known as internal temporomandibular joint derangement, and it can happen due to habits like clenching and grinding your teeth severely or chewing gum to the point where you regularly exhaust your jaw, she explains.