jaw/tooth pain

hi there.
at this moment im experiencing pretty bad jaw pain. ive had it come and go these last few days. ive been taking regular pain killers to relief it but it does come again, but not all the time. its just on one side, it aches alot and i cant open my mouth very wide as it hurts. i must admit that when i first got this pain the jaw was grinning a tad, i could feel it and hear it when i moved my mouth. i thought nothing of this because for a few years now the other side of my jaw clicks (saw a doctor and he said nothing about it).
i should also add that i realised a big hole missing frm a tooth in the back, same side as the pain. i think i had a filling there once maybe?! anyway just before the jaw pain i was getting tooth pain, not just that tooth but others on that side varying from day to day which i found odd. these tooth pains stopped, then a few days later the jaw pain is the problem, with possible wisdom tooth pain (they came through a few years back now)
so just wondering what thoughts you have, jaw pain related to the tooth?
thanks

[Ramin Mehregan, DMD]

Dear patient
I recommend to see a dentist ASAP. It could be trismus (prolonged spasm of jaw muscles), closed lock (TMJ problem), or an infection.
Dr. Mehregan