Why does my jaw click? - Tooronga Family Dentistry in Glen Iris

Jaw clicking is caused by the shift of a disk inside the jaw joint. It may be caused by different reasons. The clicking may sound very loud since the joint is just next to the ear and I have come across patients who refrain from eating out because of their joint sounds. But fear not since these sound are barely audible by other people. The dental name of the jaw joint is the temporomandibular joint or TMJ and the clicking is a part of a larger group of conditions called TMJ dysfunctions or TMD.
The TMJ is one of the most complicated joints in your body. It has several muscles and ligaments which allow different movements and when it is not functioning right you may feel:

pain around your jaw joint which can extend to your forehead, cheek, ear and neck.
restricted movement or locking of your jaw in an open position.
joint noise when you move your jaw.
difficulty chewing

These conditions may become worse when you’re chewing or if you’re feeling stressed.

Because the jaw joint is complicated and there are many possible causes of jaw problems, it can be difficult to find what is causing your symptoms. For this reason my routine exam includes an examination of your head, neck, face and jaw to see if there is any tenderness and to find out if the TMJ is painful or makes clicking noises when you move it.
Jaw joint dysfunction can often be treated successfully and doesn’t lead to other problems. Your treatment will depend on the type of jaw joint dysfunction you have.

For more information :

The Mayo clinic site

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.