TMJ Disorders

The temporomandibular joints (TMJs) connect your lower jaw to your skull and allow you to chew, speak, swallow, yawn, and breathe comfortably.

They are among the busiest joints in the body, moving thousands of times every day.

Healthy jaw function depends on two things:

• Healthy support
• Healthy movement

When either is lost, the joint and surrounding muscles may begin working harder to compensate.

The Jaw Is Different

Unlike most joints in the body, the jaw depends on the teeth for support every time it closes.

Changes in the bite, tooth wear, missing teeth, trauma, or other factors may reduce that support, increasing the load placed on the jaw joints and surrounding muscles.

The jaw may also become overloaded by clenching, grinding, airway-related muscle activity during sleep, or other long-standing compensations.

Understanding Clicking & Locking

Inside each jaw joint is a small cushioning disc that normally moves together with the lower jaw, allowing smooth, comfortable movement.

When the joint becomes overloaded, the relationship between the disc and the jaw may change.

Some patients notice clicking as the disc moves back into position during opening or closing. Others experience limited opening or episodes of locking when the disc no longer moves normally.

Not every click is painful. Not every painful jaw clicks. Every patient is different.

Looking Beyond the Joint

The jaw rarely functions in isolation.

The muscles, tongue, airway, neck, bite, and surrounding tissues all influence how the jaw works.

For that reason, successful treatment often requires understanding why the joint is under strain rather than focusing only on the joint itself.

Our Goal

The primary goal is comfortable function without pain.

While some patients notice improvement in clicking or locking, these changes cannot be predicted or guaranteed.

Our focus is to reduce unnecessary strain, improve jaw support when needed, and help you return to eating, speaking, yawning, and living comfortably.