Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ)

TMJ is discomfort occurring in the mouth, jaw, or face, is a common symptom of TMJ. TMJ disorders are non-dental in nature, instead involving the muscles involved in chewing, the joint itself, or associated orofacial structures. It can arise from injury, develop due to mouth breathing, teeth grinding, a side effect of arthritis, among other causes and is typically observed in individuals between the ages of 20 and 40 but can present in teenage years as well.

How is TMJ Treated?

Myofunctional therapy is used to remediate the pain associated with TMJ by first examining the root cause. For example, mouth breathing is a major cause of TMJ. Mouth breathing occurs when you cannot breathe normally through your nose. When you breathe through your mouth, your tongue rests incorrectly on the floor of your mouth rather than at its insertion point on the roof of your mouth. If the tongue isn’t resting where it is supposed to be, it isn’t providing the support your upper jaw needs, which throws off the balance of your orofacial system resulting in dislocation of the TMJ disk.

Does Treatment Hurt?

Orofacial treatment is a non-invasive and comfortable treatment. With orofacial myofunctional therapy, a main goal is to establish nasal breathing and correct oral posture by toning and repatterning the head and neck muscles to eliminate habits that develop as compensation for other issues.