If you experience pain or clicking when chewing, yawning, or taking big bites of food, then chances are that you have Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorder. These pains tend to go undiagnosed, and rarely receive effective care. 

The TMJ has a variety of anatomical parts, including: muscles of mastication (jaw muscles) to provide movement of the jaw for talking, chewing, and swallowing food; ligaments to protect and defend the joint space against excessive stress; and a disc to provide cushion between the bones of your jaw and skull. There are also supporting muscles of mastication (neck and shoulder muscles) that stabilize the skull and neck during jaw movements. Like many joints in our body, the TMJ is vulnerable to repetitive stresses and injuries. Inefficient function of any of these parts can result in abnormal mechanics of your TMJ, which will cause the joint to wear down and for you to eventually experience pain. Common causes of TMJ disorder include:

• Poor Posture: Our postural positions have begun to decline with the advancement of technology, and its use at home and in the workplace. Maintaining a continuously inefficient posture of the head and neck from slouching can lead to restrictions in the neck and upper mid back. In response to this, the primary chewing muscles begin experiencing stresses and strains that inhibit them from functioning effectively; further creating excessive strain on the muscles, disc, and ligaments of the TMJ. The jaw is then forced into a compromising position, which could eventually result in long-term pain, or discomfort. 

• Trauma/Fracture/Surgery: Trauma is described as any force applied to the masticatory structures that exceeds that of normal functional load. Direct injury to the jaw, face, or neck could result in excess stress on the TMJ. If a fracture occurs, TMJ stiffness and pain could remain even after the fracture is fully healed. If the injury requires surgical intervention, individuals may experience a loss of TMJ mobility and function during the recovery process.

• Psychosocial Factors: These account for individual, interpersonal, and situational variables that impact a patient's capacity to function adaptively. They include having: anxiety; limited coping skills; excess sympathetic nervous system activity as an overresponse to life stressors; a physical response to stress; and/or depression.

• Bruxism (Clenching/Grinding): Nowadays many people find themselves clenching their jaw, especially during times of elevated stress. Bruxism affects roughly 20-38% of children, and 25-50% of adults. If uncontrolled, this can perpetuate a pain cycle where the jaw muscles will tighten and strain, eventually causing jaw pain, which results in more clenching, thus repeating the cycle. Stress is the main force driving persistent clenching.

• Joint Displacement: Genetic, developmental, or impact injuries to the jaw may cause disc displacement. As a result, the soft tissues of the TMJ (muscles, ligaments, tendons, and disc) may not be in an optimal position to perform their chewing function. This is a common cause of clicking and pain in the jaw.

• Dental Factors: Missing teeth/third molar extraction; wide or prolonged opening (dental procedures, or yawning); malocclusion as a result of a crown or filing; prolonged immobilization of the jaw (orthodontic work) leading to capsular tightness.

• Malocclusion: This is when your teeth aren't aligned properly to perform chewing or biting motions in a healthy and effective way. Occurs as a result of having a large overjet, crossbite,  or open bite.

• Lockjaw: This occurs when the jaw muscles go into spasm, making it difficult to fully open or fully close the jaw. 

• Others: Mouth breathing; lip and nail biting; sucking on the inside of one's cheeks; medical intubation; and whiplash injuries. 

The most common symptoms include:

• Neck and/or throat pain

• Pain behind the eyes, or blurring of vision

• Dizziness and Headaches (tension or migraine)

• Facial pain and/or numbness of the face and head

• Grating, popping or clicking sound in the jaw joints

• Unexplained tooth pain

• Hearing loss

• Earaches, congestion or ringing in the ears (tinnitus)

• Tired jaw, difficulty in closing the teeth together

• Locking, limited, and/or painful opening of the mouth to bite, chew, or speak

• Persistent jaw pain, especially when waking up in the morning  

1. Specialized Treatments: We utilize a variety of soft tissue therapy and chiropractic manipulative therapy techniques (manual therapies) to safely handcraft your jaw health. Our technique will incorporate treatments for joint mobility, muscle tightness, and re-education of the jaw muscles to increase the mobility and restore efficient function of your jaw. 

2. We Assess Beyond Your Jaw: Factors contributing to your jaw pain can extend beyond your TMJ. In fact, many jaw issues stem from poor postural positions causing changes in the musculature of the neck and/or mid back. We will conduct a comprehensive examination to evaluate and identify all contributing factors, then tailor and implement the best course of care to your specific needs.

3. Holistic Approach: At Cultivate Chiropractic Studio, we believe in implementing a fully holistic approach as long as medically possible. Our treatments utilize hands-on techniques to eradicate pain and increase mobility; emphasize patient education to empower patients; and stabilize the dysfunctional areas through exercise so you can improve in the most optimal way possible. 

4. Referral to Your Dentist: If we determine that your are not the best candidate for the type of care we offer, we will promptly refer you to your dentist to explore more treatment options.