For jaw, facial, head and neck symptoms

TMJ symptom quiz

A short screening tool to help patients recognise symptoms that may be connected to jaw function, clenching, grinding, headaches, ear symptoms, sleep, or facial pain.

Before you begin

This quiz is designed to help organise your symptoms before you take the next step. Your answers do not provide a diagnosis. They help identify patterns that may be useful during a TMJ assessment, including symptoms linked to jaw movement, pain, clenching, grinding, ear symptoms, headaches, sleep and daily function.

Step 1 of 6 - Your main concern

16%

Before you begin

Your main concern

If you had to choose one area that worries you most, which would it be?(Required)

Jaw locking, catching or reduced opening

Jaw clicking, popping or noises without locking

Jaw, facial, temple or chewing pain

Headaches or migraines that may be linked with jaw tension

Ear fullness, pressure, ringing or blocked-ear feeling

Clenching, grinding, tooth pressure or morning jaw tension

Neck pain, neck stiffness, shoulder tension or symptoms that travel from the neck

Not sure - the symptoms are confusing or overlap

It is common for more than one option to feel relevant. Choose the answer that best matches what worries you most today.

Jaw movement, locking and joint noises

Do you notice clicking, popping, catching, grating or joint noises in one or both jaw joints?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

This may happen when chewing, talking, yawning, or opening wide.

Do the joint noises happen with pain?

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Not applicable

Does your jaw ever feel stuck, locked closed, caught or hard to open?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

This includes feeling locked open, locked closed, or unable to open comfortably.

Is your mouth opening reduced compared with normal?

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Is it difficult to move your jaw side to side or forward?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Do you have difficulty chewing?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

This may include discomfort with chewy foods, hard foods, or longer meals.

Are you avoiding chewy foods, yawning, talking, singing, dental treatment or normal jaw movement because of your jaw?

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Clicking or popping without pain and without locking is common and may not always need treatment. Clicking that is painful, worsening, associated with locking, or affecting eating or opening is worth assessing properly.

Pain, headache, ear, dental and sinus-like symptoms

Do you have pain in your jaw, face, temples, around the ear or when chewing?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Do chewy foods, chewing gum, wide opening or talking for long periods bring on your symptoms?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Do you experience headaches that seem linked to jaw tension or chewing?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Do you experience migraines or migraine-like headaches?

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Do you experience ear fullness, pressure, ringing, buzzing, hissing, a blocked-ear feeling, dizziness or ear-area discomfort?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Ear symptoms should still be assessed by a GP or ENT when needed.

Do your symptoms ever feel like toothache even when a dentist has not found a clear tooth cause?

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Not applicable

Do you experience facial pressure, sinus-like pain, or eye-area discomfort?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Sinus-like or eye-area discomfort can have several causes. This quiz does not replace medical assessment.

Headaches, ear symptoms, sinus-like symptoms and tooth-like pain can have several causes. This quiz cannot diagnose the cause, but it can help identify whether jaw, chewing muscle, neck or sleep-related factors may be worth assessing.

Neck, cervical and broader overlap

Do you have neck pain, neck stiffness, reduced neck movement or pain at the base of the skull?

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Do your jaw, face, ear or headache symptoms feel worse with neck movement, certain head positions, screen work, driving, posture or prolonged sitting?

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Can pressing on neck, jaw, temple or shoulder muscles reproduce any of your familiar symptoms?

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Have you had a recent or past neck injury, whiplash, concussion, head injury or significant dental or jaw trauma?

Yes - recent

Yes - in the past

Not sure

Neck and jaw symptoms can overlap. This does not mean the neck is the cause, or that the jaw is the cause. It means the pattern may need to be assessed together, and sometimes care works best when dental, medical and allied health providers are involved appropriately.

Clenching, sleep, impact and history

Do you clench your teeth during the day?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Do you grind or clench your teeth at night, or has someone noticed this?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Do you wake with jaw tension, headaches, or facial tightness?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

Do you often wake feeling unrefreshed, fatigued, with morning headaches, or has anyone noticed snoring or gasping?(Required)

Occasionally

Often

Most days

Not sure

How long have you had these symptoms?(Required)

Less than two weeks

Two weeks to three months

Three to twelve months

More than twelve months

Symptoms come and go

Not sure

How much are these symptoms affecting your daily life?(Required)

Mild - I notice it but can manage

Moderate - it affects eating, talking, sleep or concentration

Significant - I am avoiding foods, activities or daily tasks

Severe - I am struggling to function normally

Have you already seen someone about these symptoms?

Dentist

Physiotherapist, osteopath, chiropractor or myotherapist

ENT specialist

Sleep physician

Neurologist

Pain specialist

Other

Select all that apply.

What have you already tried?

No treatment yet

Mouthguard or splint

Physiotherapy, chiro, osteo or myotherapy

Massage or stretching

Medication

Botox or injections

Sleep assessment, CPAP or mandibular advancement splint

Other

Select all that apply.

Were you referred to TMJ Centre Melbourne?

Yes

Not sure

What would you most like help with?

A clearer explanation or diagnosis

Pain relief

Help with jaw opening, locking or movement

Advice about a splint or appliance

A second opinion

Reassurance or monitoring advice

Something else

Is there one thing you would like the clinician to know before your appointment?

Optional.

Your details

Name(Required)

First Last

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Age range

Under 18

18 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

65 or over

Prefer not to say

Gender

Female

Male

Non-binary

Prefer to self-describe

Prefer not to say

Preferred contact method

Phone

Consent(Required)

I consent to TMJ Centre Melbourne contacting me about my enquiry and sending educational information related to jaw, facial pain, headaches, clenching, ear symptoms, neck/cervical overlap, sleep and TMJ care. I understand this quiz does not provide a diagnosis and I can unsubscribe at any time.

TMJ-related symptoms often occur in clusters, and similar symptoms can have different causes. A structured assessment can help clarify what may be contributing and what options may be appropriate.

TMJ-related symptoms often occur in clusters, and similar symptoms can have different causes.

A structured assessment can help clarify what may be contributing and what options may be appropriate.

Important: This check does not provide a diagnosis. Please seek urgent medical or dental advice rather than waiting for a routine TMJ appointment if you have sudden or severe symptoms, facial swelling, fever or feeling very unwell, recent significant trauma, new numbness or weakness, changes in speech or vision, sudden severe headache, sudden hearing loss, severe dizziness or vertigo, or trouble breathing or swallowing.

For jaw, facial, head and neck symptoms

TMJ symptom quiz

Before you begin

Before you begin

Your main concern

Jaw movement, locking and joint noises

Pain, headache, ear, dental and sinus-like symptoms

Neck, cervical and broader overlap

Clenching, sleep, impact and history

Your details

TMJ Conditions

TMJ Treatments