Hi am 18 years old , i wore braces when i was 10 up until i turned about 15 , my concerns are the following while the time that i wore braces i was able to start craking my jaw , i only really cracked it on the left side on the right i could but not as loud and badly, at first when it started i told my orthodontist and he told me it was normal,and to try not crack it , but sometimes it bothers me when i'm chewing , i feel as if i need to unlock my jaw, so you could pretty much say that i crack it open , at first it didnt hurt now it's really starting to bother me it hurts , just the left side all the way up into my ear , i'm really scared that this will require surgery and think i got fooled by my orthodontist when he told me it was normal what should i do ??????? :(

It is normal. I have cracked my jaw through the years no problem
If it is really a problem then I think it could possibly be TMJ or something.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome Causes, Symptoms and Treatment on eMedicineHealth.com (http://www.emedicinehealth.com/temporomandibular_joint_tmj_syndrome/article_em.htm)

What you are experiencing is called "crepitus", the clicking sound when you chew or yawn.
Since you are getting pain into your ear, I'd suggest you either go back to your orthodontist or see your dentist as soon as possible. You may be clenching or grinding your teeth and may need a nightguard to protect the joints.

Temporomandibular Disorders (http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijfp/vol2n2/tmd.xml)

Avoid chewy foods like bagels and gum. When you yawn, keep the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth to prevent you from opening too wide and stretching the TMJ ligaments.

Hey! I have the same problem, except I have been doing this for almost 8 years now! They figured out that my problem started because I grit my teeth at night. Maybe if you wore a night guard at night, you could check to see if you are possibly having the same problem. Unfortunately, nothing really helps it. I have been told that I should have surgery on mine, because of it's severity, but, it is not a need-to-do basis. Talk to your dentist about it, but make sure you tell them everything that's going on with it!

I drive a forklift for my job and it has become habit, while I'm working away, to repeatedly clench My jaw until it cracks (which kind of feels good for a while) but then I continue the motion, now that there's no resistance, and it ends up making my jaw hurt like crazy and then the gum pain sets in and incredible tooth sensitivity (the nerves in that area are all connected). So now that the 3-4 days of excutiating pain has subsided I'm just trying to make a conscious effort not to do it. I've been able to do this my whole life and figured everybody else could too. Now, with the sudden pain strikes, I'm starting to think that further clenching/cracking will lead to huge damages and inevitable surgery. Ouch :/

Humanature, have you thought about getting a night guard to wear while you are working? A night guard made by a dentist will help take the pressure off your TMJ (jaw joint) and reduce or rid the pain and popping. My husband hauls steel and he clenches when he is chaining his loads, he wears a guard to protect his teeth.
Clenching can cause bone loss which can lead to tooth loss.