I have soreness in the soft tissue of cheek. i have also had problem with tmj. could they be related?

Muscle pain?: If TMJ was a recent issue, you may have been overusing the jaw muscles to protect the joint. This can be on par with an intense muscle workout and as lactica acid builds they get very sore. Try taking Ibuprofen if you can for a few days. Stick with soft foods and apply alternating ice and heat to the area. If not getting better withing a day or 2, see your dentist about the problem.

Probably not: Soreness in soft tissue of cheek is too general to diagnose specific problems, but on the inside of the mouth on the soft tissue is a salivary gland that may be blocked or infected. Please see your dentist! TMJ problems are associated with tenderness on the outside of the cheek in front of your ear. Feeling pain on opening and closing or chewing may be tmj. You can feel the joint with your fingers.

Cheek pain and TMJ: The pain from TMJ that is in the cheek is likely the masseter muscle with trigger points or the capsulitis of the TMJ capsule, although the capsule is a bit aways from the cheek usually. Another thing to be concerned about is a dental tooth abscess or perioidontal abscess. Mumps and other parotid diseases are less common but do occur.

Yes: Yes, Likely. See your TMJ doc. See a TMJ expert to help evaluate and treat your problem. A TMJ expert can be general dentist, an oral surgeon, prosthodontist, orofacial pain specialist. Ask your physician, dentist or dental society for a recommendation.