Your jaw, or temporomandibular joint (TMJ), is a small but crucial joint that links your skull and lower jaw and it plays a bigger role in your body than you might think. Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD) is the term we use for issues that arise in this joint and the surrounding area. When your TMJ isn’t moving smoothly, it can create a ripple effect through your body, causing symptoms like jaw, face, ear, or tooth pain, headaches or migraines, teeth grinding (bruxism), clicking or locking of the jaw, limited movement, malocclusion, and more. At Ethos Collective, we look beyond the jaw itself to address the whole system, helping you restore balance, function, and ease.

WHAT CAUSES JAW PAIN (TMD)

Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) can arise from many factors, and often it’s a combination rather than a single cause. One key contributor is dysfunctional breathing patterns. If you tend to breathe through your shoulders, chest or mouth, or struggle with conditions like asthma or chronic bronchitis, have a tongue-tie or your tongue is not resting along the roof of your palate, over time your accessory breathing muscles found in the neck, throat, chest, and shoulders will be working overtime. These muscles are meant primarily for times of exertion, not constant use.

When the diaphragm isn’t functioning properly, the body compensates by lifting the ribs and shoulders and engaging the neck, throat, and shoulder muscles to take in more air. Over time, this chronic strain can pull your head, neck, and jaw into a forward posture, disrupting jaw alignment and potentially leading to TMD.

Inside the jaw joint sits a small disc that acts as a cushion. Prolonged misalignment and dysfunctional movement patterns can cause this disc to slide out of its optimal position, leading to jaw clicking, locking, or limited range of motion. Average jaw opening is typically 45 to 50mm, and a minimum of 30mm is necessary for safety in situations like choking or intubation. This highlights the importance of always maintaining adequate jaw mobility.

TMD can also result from direct trauma to the jaw or face, such as biting something hard, whiplash, or concussion. Beyond that, poor posture, restricted neck mobility, and old injuries elsewhere in the body can create tension in the jaw’s muscles, ligaments, tendons, and capsule.

Even the digestive system can influence jaw function. Since digestion begins in the mouth, tension or dysfunction along the digestive tract can refer to the jaw, affecting its positioning and movement.

I have years of experience working in a physiotherapy clinic that focused on TMJD, treating clients with a wide range of TMJD issues. This experience allows me to understand the many ways jaw dysfunction can manifest and how to address it holistically for long-lasting results.

At Ethos Collective Physiotherapy, we take a whole-system approach. Your first appointment includes a thorough evaluation of the entire body to create a treatment plan tailored specifically to you. We also collaborate closely with dentists, orthodontists, or ENT specialists to ensure coordinated care for the best possible outcomes.