My jaw pops on left side when i open my mouth about halfway open. sometimes it seems to get stuck there for a moment. painful. causes and treatments?

TMJ: It sounds like you have tmj, or a temporomandibular joint disorder. That popping sound indicates that the articular cartilage disk is being displaced anteriorly when you open your mouth. Most patients respond to conservative measures, including nsaids and jaw-opening exercises. You need to identify and reduce provocative factors, such as teeth grinding. You should see your doc for more details.

Disc stuck and free: Your TMJ disc, upon opening cannot rotate forward to protect your condyle. The first 21mm is the rotation which the TMJ space does not change with the disc get stuck posteriorly, then after that comes the translation movement, of which the condyle move downward and forward and thus release the stuck disc shooting forward and make a click. Treat first with splint then adjust or correct occlusion.

TMD- : Your problem is related to internal derangement or trapping of the articular disc within your jaw joints. This is part of what is known as tmd (temporormandibular dysfunction). You should see a dentist with experience and training treating patients with this problem. Most dentists are only somewhat familiar with diagnosis and treatment. A few have extensive knowledge and may be more helpful.

Jaw pop: Sounds like the disc in your left jaw joint is out of position. Start with your Dentist to identify the problem. you may need to be referred to a Dentist who has advanced training in treating jaw joint issues. In the meantime try to not stress the area (don't "test" it to see if still a problem, don't chew gum, avoid chewy foods like bagels).