Hi Melody L.

I thought I read in one of your posts here that you stated your tooth was ok to chew on but was sensitive to hot temperature?? When a nerve is dying in a tooth, one of the initial symptoms is sensitivity to hot temperature. This can occur at the early onset of the nerve dying which may or may not show up as pathology on a routine dental radiograph. Another symptom of an inflammed lower tooth is pain under the jawline, could be in the area of the glands. The soreness or pain will eventually radiate or become referred pain to the musculature area of the face including the TMJ area.

When a tooth is inflammed, the ligament holding it in the jawbone is also inflammed which causes a lower tooth to elevate up slightly. Just enough to cause the person to (unbeknowingly) clench down on the tooth just like you would press down on a sore spot on your arm or hand for example. This clenching can trigger spasms in the muscular/ligament area on both sides of the head near or around the TMJ from both inside the mouth and outside of head.

I have known many thousands of cases like this.... not saying this is your particular problem ....... but the tooth may be having some issues that are not yet being seen on the radiographs.

Bryanna