Can tmj pain be in my temple area? dentist said tmj but my off/on zapping pain is in my right temple. no headache. no migraine?

Hello. Yes, TMJ pain can radiate to the ear, temple, posterior behind the ear, deep inside the ear and down the jaw to the neck. The Temporalis muscle is a muscle of mastication and therefore can have referred pain. Often times Motrin is very effectively at reducing this inflammation as well as eliminating the pain. Check back with your Dentist/Family Doctor if the pain fails to resolve.

Agree with Drs. Gergits and McLeod. Your jaw appears to be the pain generator and a nocturnal dental splint would likely alleviate a lot of this over time. Just to be fully complete and safe, if not done yet, recommend blood tests (sed rate and CRP), to exclude unusual presentation of temporal arteritis.