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Written by Ann C. McCulloch, MBA | Medically Reviewed by Bradley Allen Eli, DMD, MS
Jaw pain after a car accident is most often caused by whiplash — the same sudden acceleration-deceleration force that injures the neck. This whip-like motion strains the jaw joint and muscles even when the face is never directly struck, producing a jaw and muscle sprain/strain (JAMSS) that occurs in up to 88% of whiplash injuries. Because untreated jaw sprain/strain carries a high risk of becoming a chronic pain disorder, it should be evaluated and treated within two to four weeks of the accident.
Jaw pain after a car accident is one of the lesser-known but clinically significant symptoms of whiplash. The sudden acceleration-deceleration of a collision causes hyperflexion and hyperextension of the neck, and this same whipping motion can affect the jaw, producing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc displacement, strain of the TMJ ligaments, and injury to the muscles that move the jaw. Jaw pain after a car accident needs to be taken seriously, because it is a recognized risk factor for developing a chronic TMJ pain disorder. Here’s what you need to know about why it happens and how it’s treated.
Jaw injury can also result independently of whiplash. The release of an air bag in a car, the position of your hands on the steering wheel at the moment of impact, the airbag striking your face directly, or your own arms and hands being driven into your face and jaw can all cause direct trauma to the jaw.
People can have jaw pain after a car accident even when their jaw is not directly injured. The culprit is the whipping motion that happens with sudden acceleration/deceleration in a car accident (hence the term “whiplash”). Another name for whiplash is neck sprain or neck strain. A parallel injury can happen in the jaw joint, where the jaw joint and muscles become sprained or strained (called “jaw and muscle sprain/strain”, or JAMSS).
How do we know that the neck and TMJ injuries in whiplash are associated? The first proof is the frequency of jaw symptoms after whiplash injury. One investigation of the symptoms of whiplash found that jaw and face pain was present in 88% of whiplash injuries, which is almost as high as the other cardinal symptoms of whiplash (neck pain, shoulder pain, and tension headaches). Here are the common jaw-related symptoms after whiplash injury:
Another proof that whiplash and TMJ disorders are connected is found in imaging studies. In a 2021 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of people with TMJ disorders were evaluated, and characteristic patterns of abnormalities were found, including changes to the TMJ disc and atrophy of the jaw muscles (specifically the lateral pterygoid muscle). These findings were distinct from people who had non-trauma-related TMJ disorders.
Finally, there is increasing evidence of a close functional relationship between the jaw and the neck. Because of this functional coupling, neck trauma can disrupt the normal functioning of the jaw. Furthermore, the pain pathways of the jaw and neck are intertwined, such that when the brain becomes sensitized to pain signals from the neck, the pain pathways in the jaw region can become hypersensitive as well.
Almost 50% of people who have acute symptoms of whiplash develop long-term disabilities. This statistic is nearly replicated in cases of jaw sprain and strain, where there is a strong tendency for untreated jaw pain to evolve into a chronic pain disorder — what some clinicians describe as a TMJ flare-up that never fully resolves.
This increased rate of transition to chronic symptoms is thought to be due to a phenomenon called central sensitization. “Chronic TMJ disorders start with pain from the initial injury and the guarding response of the muscles. These two factors prime neurons in the central nervous system, causing them to be hyperexcitable. Nerve signals in the central nervous system then become amplified, causing hypersensitivity and increased pain to normal touch and motion in the region”, explains Bradley Eli, DMD, MS, an orofacial pain specialist.
The tendency for acute jaw pain to become chronic makes it critical to treat jaw pain after a car accident promptly and allow two to four weeks for healing. A multimodal approach to jaw pain relief is optimal and includes:
All these components are included in the Speed2Treat® Home Healing Kit. The kit was designed to optimize prompt and comprehensive self-care treatment of jaw sprain/strain injuries. Don’t let your jaw pain after a car accident turn into chronic TMJ pain. Get jaw pain relief today with the Speed2Treat® Home Healing Kit!
Most jaw sprain/strain injuries from a car accident improve with conservative, multimodal care, but certain symptoms point to something more serious and warrant prompt medical evaluation.
For most people, jaw sprain/strain from a car accident improves within two to four weeks with rest, physical therapy, hot/cold therapy, and splinting. Pain that persists beyond that window, or that worsens, should be evaluated by a healthcare provider, since delayed treatment increases the risk of the injury becoming a chronic pain condition.
Yes. The rapid acceleration-deceleration motion of whiplash can strain the jaw joint and muscles without any direct blow to the face, in a process some clinicians call jaw and muscle sprain/strain (JAMSS). Jaw and face pain is reported in up to 88% of whiplash injuries.
Yes. Jaw and face pain is one of the most frequently reported symptoms after whiplash injury, alongside neck pain, shoulder pain, and tension headaches. Imaging studies have found measurable changes in the TMJ disc and jaw muscles in people with whiplash-related jaw pain.
Yes. Airbag deployment can strike the face directly, or force your own arms and hands into your face and jaw depending on hand position on the steering wheel at the moment of impact. This can injure the jaw independently of any whiplash-related strain.
A general dentist, physician, or orofacial pain specialist can evaluate jaw pain after a car accident. If pain is severe, your bite feels different, or you notice numbness, swelling, or signs of a concussion, prompt evaluation is important to rule out fracture or significant joint injury.
Mild jaw soreness sometimes resolves without specific treatment, but because jaw sprain/strain carries a meaningful risk of becoming chronic, early multimodal care — rest, physical therapy, hot/cold therapy, and splinting — significantly improves the odds of full recovery.
