Jaw joint pain - doctor or dentist?

[MackerelOfFact]

My jaws don't appear to properly align - my bottom molars don't meet on both sides at the same time.

When I'm sleeping on my side, I often wake in the night with a strange, painful sensation in my jaw, as though the joint has come loose and my jaw feels like it's kind of hanging. It's not dislocated or locked, just sort of loose and there feels like a lot of pressure on the joint.

I guess I've either been grinding my jaw in my sleep, or it's been sort of lolling sideways as I've slept, if that makes any sense.

Googling it sounds a bit like TMJ dysfunction, but should I be seeing a doctor about this or a dentist?

[MsUumellmahaye]

defo a dentist, good luck.

[louisea]

It does sounds like TMJ. Ask your dentist about getting a mouth guard to wear at night. It will help to relieve the pressure. I even wear mine during the day sometimes.