Q. Can I check for a temporomandibular joint disorder at home?

If any one of the following applies, we would have it checked.

• The upper and lower teeth feel out of alignment
• There is pain around the jaw with no clear cause
• The jaw clicks or makes a grating sound when you open your mouth
• You cannot fit three fingers stacked vertically into your mouth
• The jaw moves in a Z shape as you open or close it
• You tend to grind your teeth in your sleep

This list is a set of clues, not a diagnosis. If any item applies, the movement of the jaw joint and its left-right balance need to be measured.