You might have heard of “TMJ” or even been told by a physician that you have an issue with it yourself.  But what are we talking about?!  The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) is the joint that connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the skull (temporal bone). This joint is supported by many muscles, discs, and ligaments for normal function and it is active as we chew, talk, yawn, swallow, and many other mouth motions. In the efficient state, the mandible should smoothly rotate in the joint as we open and close our mouths. However, in an inefficient state there can be movement deviations resulting in Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) causing pain at the jaw, headaches, neck pain, dental damage and sensitivity, and many different symptoms. TMD can be related to bruxism (clenching), arthritic changes, stress, posture, and chewing habits.

What is done in PT for the TMJ?

Luckily, there are many ways to treat TMD and physical therapy is one of those. Your PT will perform a comprehensive evaluation to determine what aspects are contributing to your symptoms. PT treatment of TMD may include education on changing habits, manual therapy, and exercises to restore the TMJ’s efficiency. Manual therapy is often performed intraorally or extraorally to the TMJ to address soft tissue structures and joint mobility. Additionally, treatment may also address the cervical (neck) and thoracic (mid back) spine since these structures can contribute to TMJ dysfunction.

What can I do at home? 

Your PT will tailor specific exercises for you based on your evaluation, but here are some general exercises that might be helpful as you are working to restore normal jaw function:

1. Jaw Opening/Closing (Rocabado exercise): Place the tongue on the roof of your mouth applying pressure to the palate. Keep the tongue pressing up, gently open and close the jaw.
2. Jaw Relaxation: Stress can often provoke discomfort and pain of the jaw, so taking a moment to consciously relax the jaw can help. Gently keep the tongue at the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth with the mouth closed but not clenched then breathe deeply in and out of the nose.
3.  Masseter Muscle Self-Release: The masseter muscle runs vertically along the cheeks and jaw. If you clench your jaw, you should feel this muscle contract. Once you have found the masseter muscle, apply pressure to it by either running fingertips perpendicular to the muscle or rub in a small circular motion to relieve muscle tension.

Beacon Physical Therapy

At Beacon Physical Therapy, we support our clients in establishing healthy movement patterns that help maintain strength, flexibility and mobility. If you are having an issue, make an appointment today. We’d love to meet you and get you back to doing what you love.