Jaw clicking

The temporomandibular joint consists of a joint head (condyle) and a joint socket, with a cartilage disc (the articular disc) located between them. During jaw movements, the condyle and the disc normally move together. In about one-third of the population, the disc sits forward in relation to the condyle. In such cases, during mouth opening, the condyle “pops” back underneath the disc with a louder clicking sound, and during mouth closing it “slips out” from under the disc with a softer click, returning to its original position. If jaw clicking is accompanied by pain, jaw locking, limited mouth opening, or asymmetrical mouth opening, temporomandibular therapy can provide an effective solution. During treatment, joint traction is applied to gently separate the joint surfaces, giving the disc the opportunity to return to its proper position. Relaxation exercises and soft-tissue mobilization techniques are used to release muscle tension, reduce pain, and restore the full range of jaw motion.

Assessing the type of jaw clicking and determining whether physiotherapy is needed should always be done by a qualified specialist.

Clicking caused by hypermobility:

In hypermobility, the joint head moves beyond the normal physiological range. Typically, at the end of mouth opening, the condyle hits the anatomical bony limit of its movement path with a sharp clicking sound, and in some cases, it even moves past it. The temporomandibular joint and the surrounding ligaments become overloaded, certain muscles tighten, and jaw movements become painful. To avoid pain, people often try to “protect” the chewing muscles by talking less and opening the mouth only slightly when eating. This creates a vicious cycle: avoiding mouth opening leads to weakening of the chewing muscles, which then cannot stabilize the joint effectively. Without sufficient stabilization, hypermobility worsens.

During TMJ physiotherapy, weakened chewing muscles are strengthened, while tight muscles are released through relaxation exercises and soft-tissue mobilization techniques. This helps restore balance in the jaw joint. Lifestyle guidance also supports the restoration of normal daily movements—yawning and wide mouth opening no longer feel frightening.

Clicking caused by ligaments:

Ligament-related clicking is characterized by the clicking sound occurring at exactly the same point during mouth opening and closing. As the jaw moves, the condyle “twangs” the ligament like a string, producing the clicking noise. No physiotherapy is required in this case, as it is due to anatomical variation rather than dysfunction.

Crepitus:

Crepitus is a rubbing, “snow-crunching” sound heard in the temporomandibular joint during almost any jaw movement. It occurs most commonly in joint degeneration and is often accompanied by pain and reduced range of motion. To avoid pain, people frequently limit jaw movements — for example, opening their mouth only slightly when speaking or eating. This again leads to a vicious cycle: the chewing muscles shorten, jaw movements become increasingly painful, mouth opening decreases further, and side-to-side jaw movements become painful, difficult, or impossible to perform.

During TMJ physiotherapy, joint traction is applied to gently separate the joint surfaces, creating space for smoother, less painful movement. Tight muscles are relaxed through soft-tissue mobilization techniques and targeted exercises to restore jaw mobility and reduce discomfort.