TMJ Pain and Facial Pain

Many of my patients and family have suffered from TMJ and facial pain for years and felt they couldn’t find all the answers. I would hear a range of symptoms such as headaches, toothaches, difficulty opening wide, locking of the jaw, and various levels of facial pain. TMJ (Temporomandibular joint) plays a critical role by allowing your lower jaw to move forward to back and side to side. It is an essential function we need for talking and properly chewing our foods. When we start to get pain, it might be telling us that there is a disfunction happening, and it’s time to investigate it further. TMJ disorders can range from a variety of issues such as:

Teeth clenching/grinding
Autoimmune conditions like arthritis
Improper swallowing patters
Chronic Stress
Trauma
Improper bite function
Family Genetics

Myofunctional therapy is a great way to help figure out if there is a way to assess if we are overcompensating for some under or overuse of the facial muscles that attach to the joint itself. It does sometimes need a team approach, but finding out how to restore proper swallowing and chewing patterns can alleviate chronic pain in some patients.