When your dentist checks your jaw bone ...

[Garihairy]

When your dentist checks your jaw bone at your yearly check up how does it make you feel?

I've been going to one that my friend recommended for about three years now and he's lovely, no problems at all, it's just that when he checks along my jaw bone I get the feeling that he wants me to feel uncomfortable. Not that he's enjoying it or anything, specifically that he wants me to feel uncomfortable.

I plucked up the courage to mention it to my friend today after another visit and she said she feels the same. I didn't say what exactly the problem was, just asked her how she found that part of the examination and she came to the same conclusion of her own volition.

Neither of us can fault him in any way, apart from this weird feeling with the jaw bone thing. I'm glad it's not just me. It's such an odd thing, not something you could actually complain about as it's just a feeling we both have.

So MNers, when your dentist checks your jaw bone does it just feel like another run of the mill thing for you or have you ever had a similar thing?

If my dentist doesn't do this, should I be finding another dentist? Should I ask my current dentist if it's something they can do?

No, I don't feel uncomfortable. I like it, I feel like I'm getting a proper mot and being fully checked out.

Now also worried I’ve only seen crap dentists as I didn’t know this was a thing. I’ve certainly never had it and I’m not a dentist dodger 🫣

OP if you feel uncomfortable there is a reason for that. Can you analyse any more specifically how his manner changes when he does it? Does he explain thoroughly what he is doing? Do you feel able to ask him more about it?

I use a private dentist and this is done on every check but the dentist always asks " Is it ok if I check this?" . If you don't like it then say you don't want it.

You’ve never had a dentist check your jaw bone but you’ve seen specialists for TMJD? The TMJ is part of the jaw?

I had an x ray which she showed me so presume that would show any problems with my jaw.

I only started having this with a private dentist... and yes he asked first and said what he was doing.

Made me wonder what else I miss not having private medical insurance...

@Laneymoo no it's not glamarous at all. I think it must take a particularly strong stomached type of person to be able to deal with so many people's mouths.

My dentist always does this as I have a clicky jaw and checking the movement of your jaw /bite is a normal part of a proper examination. He does not make me feel weird though.

I can see how a pervy dentist could touch your face in a way that could give you the creeps. Trust your gut.

I’ve paid private and NHS - never happened! I’m 46.
I take DD and never noticed either!

Does it hurt? Or just feel uncomfortable in an awkward way…

I’m a dentist, and every dentist should check the muscles of the jaw, the bone, and for lymph nodes at each check-up. It’s called an ‘extra-oral examination’ and it’s completed before looking inside the mouth.

You start with the lymph nodes and salivary glands, then the TMJ and muscles of mastication. To properly check the Lateral Pterygoid, one of the those two muscles, you need to feel a specific point right at the back of the mouth. To do this, you had to have feel inside the mouth between the muscle and the back molar tooth.

Really normal. However, I always do Lateral Pterygoid last so I don’t get saliva all over the patient - as I can imagine that feels a bit gross and I wouldn’t like it.

I like it! Over too quickly!

Old dentist never did it. New one does.

Reading the responses, it’s really quite disconcerting the number of people who say their dentist has never done this? It’s like saying your doctor has never asked about diet or lifestyle before…oh, wait…😂

My dentist does this, feels alongside the outside of my jaw/top of neck. Maybe it's because it feels like a bit of a vulnerable part of your body, like you could be strangled.

I've seen so many dentists and I've never had this done, always NHS though, does that make a difference? Is it an age thing? They only do it over 50?

I've had one dentist do it ,would be happy if every dentist did it , i knew he was checking for any abnormalities such as a tumour .

I don't feel anything tbh. Just like he's a professional doing him job.

Although I have very overstrong jaw muscles so he does sometimes jam his finger in the back of my jaw which hurts. But he never makes me feel weird as he's very nice and professional and great at answering questions. Makes me think of a grandad.

Mine does check. From a slightly different angle though I think my jaw is misaligned and I have asked him several times if he thinks it is and he somehow manages to get out of answering me which makes me suspect it is but he doesn't want to tell me What's!! Whats THAT all about? Its a private one as no choice as very Ltd nhs ones here.

Can you switch to a female dentist?

It's nothing weird, it's a normal check for anything abnormal (like cancer). Your dentist should also do soft tissue check of your mouth and check your tongue for anything that looks odd and checking no sore areas that aren't healing. I'm reassured my dentist is so thorough (very different from how dentists were when we were children!)

I've never missed a dental appointment and mines never done that. I feel like I'm missing out 🤣 I want a jaw exam.

My NHS dentist does it every time.

It’s good practice to do an extra oral examination. Feel TMJ and neck for abnormalities.
I always do it before intra oral though. Doing it with gloves covered in saliva (and blood from gum check) is nasty.

I've never had this done - in my 50s, have always gone to the dentist regularly, and had multiple dentists, both private and NHS.