ok, latest update on the ear/jaw situation.... everything still feels tight-ish, but not to the point where i would need to make an appointment ASAP due to the uncomfortableness/pain.
I suppose my worry would be that i'll be able to ignore this problem, and it goes untreated and pops up even worse somewhere down the line.
...oh, and i'm finding my jaw will 'pop' back into place every so often... but again, it feels like my bite is nice & regular.