What Causes an Uneven Jaw?
An uneven jaw can contribute to issues with eating, sleeping, talking, and breathing. There are a range of causes of an uneven jaw. Some cases can be treated and improved with physical therapy. Others may require corrective surgery.
A jaw can look or feel uneven because of how the upper and lower jaws grew, because the bite pushes the lower jaw to one side, because of an old injury, or because of a problem in the jaw joints or chewing muscles. A small amount of facial asymmetry is normal, and most people have it. A dental examination can usually tell whether the cause is the teeth, the bite, the joints or the bone itself. When the cause is in the jaw bones, I refer to an orthodontist or an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
Is some jaw asymmetry normal?
Yes. Very few faces are perfectly symmetrical, and a slight difference between the two sides of the jaw is common. What matters more is whether it's new or changing, whether your teeth meet comfortably, and whether you have pain or trouble chewing.
What can make a jaw uneven?
Jaw growth. The upper and lower jaws sometimes grow at different rates or by different amounts on each side. This tends to show up in childhood or the teenage years and can run in families. Some people are born with conditions that affect jaw growth.
The bite. If the teeth don't meet evenly, the lower jaw can shift to one side every time you close. A crossbite is a common example. Over time the shift can look like a crooked jaw even when the bones are fairly even.
An old injury. A jaw fracture that healed out of position, or an injury to the jaw joint in childhood, can change how the jaw grows or sits.
Jaw joint and muscle problems. Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) affect the jaw joints and the muscles that move them. Arthritis in a jaw joint can gradually change how the jaw sits.
Muscle size. People who clench or grind heavily can develop larger chewing muscles, which may make one side of the face look fuller.
Swelling or a growth. Less often, a lump, swelling or change in the bone causes asymmetry. Any new swelling should be examined.
What symptoms can come with an uneven jaw?
Some people have no symptoms at all. Others notice:
Pain in the jaw joint, cheek or temple
Clicking or popping with pain
A jaw that feels tight or doesn't open fully
Teeth that don't fit together comfortably, or a bite that feels different
Uneven wear on the teeth
Clicking without pain is common and usually needs no treatment.
How is an uneven jaw evaluated?
I start by looking at how your teeth meet, how your jaw opens and closes, and how the joints and muscles feel. I'll ask when you first noticed the change and whether it's getting worse. Imaging helps when the question is about the bone or the joint.
That examination sorts most patients into one of a few groups:
The bite is the main cause. Orthodontic treatment may help, and I'll talk with you about whether that means an orthodontist or an option such as clear aligners.
The jaw bones grew unevenly. Correcting this usually means corrective jaw surgery planned by an orthodontist and an oral and maxillofacial surgeon together, with orthodontic treatment before and after. I refer for that evaluation.
The joints or muscles are the main problem. Most jaw joint and muscle problems improve with simple, reversible care. Treatments that permanently change the bite or the joint are usually not the first step.
Something needs prompt attention, such as a new swelling. I'll arrange the right referral.
What helps jaw pain in the meantime?
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research lists simple measures for jaw muscle and joint pain: softer foods, warm or cold packs, over-the-counter pain relievers used as the label directs, and avoiding wide yawns, gum chewing and other habits that strain the jaw. These can ease discomfort. They don't correct an uneven jaw, and they're not a substitute for an evaluation if pain lasts more than a couple of weeks. Check with your physician or pharmacist before taking a pain reliever if you have other health conditions or take other medicines.
Be cautious about devices or exercises that promise to reposition your jaw without an examination.
When should you be seen promptly?
Call a dentist or physician promptly if:
Your bite changed suddenly after a fall or blow to the face
You can't open or close your mouth fully
You have new swelling, numbness or a lump
Jaw pain comes with fever or trouble swallowing
Where can you have an uneven jaw checked in Jacksonville?
Our office is at 3675 Hendricks Avenue, near San Marco. Learn what happens during a comprehensive dental exam, read about tooth grinding and clenching, or contact the office at 904-398-1549 to arrange a visit.
Sources
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. TMD (temporomandibular disorders). Retrieved 2026-10-06.
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Corrective jaw surgery. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.
The Oral Microbiome Is Site-Specific, and That Matters
Researchers have examined the human oral microbiome and discovered tremendous variability in bacterial subpopulations living in certain areas of the mouth. In many cases, the team was able to identify a handful of genes that might explain a particular bacterial group's habitat specificity.
Bacteria are not spread evenly through the mouth. A 2020 study led by researchers at Harvard found that even within a single bacterial species, different genetic groups prefer different places, such as the tongue or the inside of the cheek. The mouth behaves less like one ecosystem and more like a set of neighboring habitats, which helps explain why a single product rarely changes oral bacteria the way its label suggests.
What did the researchers do?
The team combined two kinds of data. The first was the genomes of bacteria that had been grown in labs. The second was genetic material collected directly from people's mouths by the Human Microbiome Project. Matching the two, an approach called metapangenomics, let them see which versions of a species actually live at each site and which genes they carry.
They looked at three sites: the top of the tongue, the inside of the cheek and plaque above the gumline. They focused on two common groups of mouth bacteria, Haemophilus parainfluenzae and the genus Rothia.
What did they find?
Haemophilus parainfluenzae split into three distinct genetic subgroups. Each was more common at some sites than others. The subgroup that favored the tongue carried a specific set of genes linked to energy metabolism, which may help it live there.
Rothia species mostly lived where expected. Rothia mucilaginosa was found mainly on the tongue, but the team also found a hidden population of it living on the inside of the cheek.
Lab strains did not fully represent the wild populations. Some genes found in lab-grown strains were rare or absent in the bacteria living in real mouths.
What are the limits?
This study used existing samples from healthy volunteers and looked at only two groups of bacteria and three sites. It describes where bacteria live and suggests how they adapt. It does not test any treatment or show how these differences affect cavities or gum disease.
Why does this matter for oral health?
The findings fit what dentists see every day. Plaque along the gumline, the coating on the tongue and the lining of the cheeks are different environments, and problems often start in one place before another. A few practical points follow:
Probiotic products are unlikely to work well unless the bacteria are suited to the site they are meant to colonize.
Research based only on lab strains can miss how bacteria behave in a real mouth.
Basic care still reaches every site. Brushing the teeth and gumline, cleaning between teeth and cleaning the tongue each disturb a different community.
Studies like this do not change treatment today, but they help researchers design more targeted ways to manage oral disease in the future. For daily care, see our home care instructions and how to brush correctly. A dental examination looks at all of these sites together.
Sources
Utter DR, Borisy GG, Eren AM, Cavanaugh CM, Mark Welch JL. Metapangenomics of the oral microbiome provides insights into habitat adaptation and cultivar diversity. Genome Biol. 2020;21(1):293. doi:10.1186/s13059-020-02200-2. Retrieved via PubMed.
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.