The jaw is comprised of an upper bone called the maxilla that forms part of the nose and eye sockets, and a lower, movable bone called the mandible that is connected to the skull by the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The TMJ joint is a sliding joint located in front of both ears and connects the temporal bone to the mandible.
The jaw is very complex, and it is used for speaking, chewing, and facial expressions. The temporomandibular joint is movable in two ways: hinging and sliding. The hinge joint allows for rotation and opening and closing of the mouth, and the sliding joint allows for forward, backward, and side-to-side movement.
What is TMJ?
TMJ disorders are a dysfunction of the TMJ joint and surrounding muscles. TMJ issues are very common and affect approximately 34% of the population (10-35 million people in the United States). Temporomandibular disorder affects women more than men, with women twice as likely to have jaw issues. TMJ disorder and pain are second only to low back pain as the most common musculoskeletal condition.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of TMJ disorder include headaches (because the jaw is connected to the skull and the C1 vertebra), teeth grinding (bruxism), jaw popping or clicking, ear pain, and restricted jaw movement. The muscles in the cheeks are often tight and sore, and the actual temporomandibular joint is tender. Other symptoms include pain while chewing, talking, or yawning; inability to fully open the mouth; lockjaw; ear problems; and headaches.
What are the causes?
The causes of temporomandibular disorder are trauma to the jaw, arthritis, or dental issues. The most common cause of jaw pain is stress-related grinding and clenching of the teeth. When we are stressed, whether acute or chronic, we clench our jaw muscles (this is more common in women than men). We also grind our teeth, often while sleeping, when we are stressed (more common in men than women). This causes the muscles around the jaw to tighten, leading to pain and tension in the jaw and headaches. It can be very painful and frustrating. The TMJ is also connected to the first cervical vertebrae, the Atlas. If the Atlas is misaligned due to subluxation (misalignment of the vertebrae in the spine), this can result in stress and tension on the TMJ.
Why is a chiropractor uniquely positioned to provide TMJ relief?
A chiropractor can help with TMJ issues by detecting and correcting spinal subluxations. As mentioned above, the jaw is connected to the skull and the first cervical vertebra. Gentle and specific adjustments of the cervical spine can remove nerve interference and correct misalignment. This allows for more optimal positioning of the vertebra and, subsequently, the TMJ joint. This will allow the jaw muscles to relax. Chiropractic adjustments stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and calm the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) system, allowing the body to relax and relieve tension and stress.
There are also specific chiropractic adjustments that can be performed on the jaw itself, resulting in proper alignment and, therefore, less stress and tension on the muscles of the jaw, head, and neck.
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Includes consultation with your doctor, thorough chiropractic examination and customized plan of action. This offer does not apply to Medicare.
How Our Care Plan Works
1. Discover The Root Cause
Instead of chasing symptoms, we take time to find out why you’re experiencing them. Our thorough exam helps reveal the underlying issues so we can address them with confidence.
2. Your Goals. Our Findings.
We combine your goals, your lifestyle and your expectations with our clinical findings to build a clear, personalized plan aligned with where you want to go.
3. Become A Stronger, Healthier Version Of You
With consistent, corrective-focused care, you don’t just feel better—you function better. We’re here to help you rebuild your health from within and be your best self.
How We Treat TMJ Dysfunction In Westford, MA
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
At our office, we conduct a very thorough, detailed examination that includes a consultation with one of our doctors. This complete chiropractic exam includes a Thermography Scan, Posture Scan, static and motion palpation, and full spinal x-rays. The full exam takes about 30-45 minutes.
Our primary objective during the exam process is to detect vertebral subluxation. We use 5 primary objectives: visualization, instrumentation, motion, static palpation, and X-rays. We also utilize technology that includes a Tytron thermography scan, a Posture Pro postural analysis scan, and a digital x-ray.
It is important to identify the root cause of the problem so we can determine whether subluxation is causing your TMJ issue. The 5 criteria mentioned above will help us determine if your problem is a chiropractic problem – if it is, we can help you! We will also observe and palpate your jaw to check for misalignment, as this can be the root cause of jaw discomfort and pain.
Specific Chiropractic Care in Westford, MA
Subluxation is a misalignment of the spinal bones (vertebrae) that can irritate nerves. Subluxations, if left undetected and uncorrected, will interfere with proper nervous system communication, essentially cutting off communication from the brain to the body and the body back up to the brain. Proper nerve flow is essential for proper function. Furthermore, uncorrected subluxation leads to dysfunction, decreased motion, muscle spasm, and, lastly, pain and discomfort. If left uncorrected, joint degeneration results, and the patient becomes unwell.
Subluxations can occur in all joints of the spine, including the skull and the jaw. The mandible is the only freely movable joint in the skull. It is unique in that it moves up and down, side to side, and in a rotational pattern. It is both a hinge and a sliding joint, and it connects to the skull just in front of the ear. This is called the temporomandibular joint. While a spinal bone typically misaligns posteriorly first, the TMJ can misalign in many directions due to its complexity. It can misalign anteriorly, posteriorly, and laterally. It is also connected to the skull via the temporal bones and neurologically to the first cervical vertebra.
Due to the biomechanical and neurological connections between the jaw (TMJ) and the neck, misalignments of the 1st cervical vertebra (Atlas) can tilt the head and shift the jaw’s position. Also, chronic jaw clenching due to stress leads to forward head posture, which further strains the cervical spine. Chiropractors can adjust both the neck to correct spinal misalignments and gently adjust the jaw to correct misalignment of the temporomandibular joint.
Chiropractic care is gentle, safe, and effective, and a non-invasive way to help patients suffering from TMJ disorder. By adjusting the spine, correcting cervical subluxations, and performing jaw adjustments, misalignments and tension are reduced. A patient may need to work with a dentist trained in treating TMJ issues. A dentist will typically fit the patient with a mouthguard to help alleviate stress on the jaw from clenching. A chiropractor will also help manage the patient’s stress through lifestyle changes, in addition to adjustments to address the underlying cause of the jaw clenching. Conventional medical treatment for TMJ issues includes pain relievers such as NSAIDS or Botox injections to relax the muscles of the jaw. Rarely is surgery ever warranted for TMJ issues unless there is trauma to the jaw. Chiropractic care is always less invasive with no side effects!
Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan
A simple exercise a patient with TMJ pain can do at home is biting down on the flat end of a popsicle stick on the side opposite the misaligned joint. The patient should bite down (using the molars) for approximately 3 minutes. Most importantly, if you have jaw issues from clenching or grinding, you must eliminate these habits by addressing the stress that is causing you to clench and, whenever possible, relax the jaw and cheek muscles. Constant clenching causes the cheek muscles to tense and spasm, leading to pain and tension.
Proper posture is essential to reduce stress on the TMJ. Forward head posture, often referred to as tech neck, puts more pressure and tension on the head, neck, and jaw, and can actually pull the jaw out of alignment. Spinal exercises done consistently, in addition to regular chiropractic care, will reduce forward head posture, improve posture, and thereby reduce tension on the temporomandibular joint.
Common Symptoms of TMJ Dysfunction in Westford, MA
Jaw Clenching
Clenching the jaw is a stress response. During states of acute or chronic stress, a person may inadvertently clench the muscles of the jaw and face. This leads to inflammation and dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. This also leads to pain and discomfort in the jaw joint and facial muscles. Habitual jaw clenching can further inflame and wear down the jaw joint, leading to increased pain and discomfort. Neck pain, headaches, and ear pain can also occur. TMJ disorder is very uncomfortable and emotionally taxing if not treated.
The best solution to relieve tension caused by jaw clenching is to work with a trained chiropractor to ensure the jaw and the cervical spine are properly aligned. Getting to the cause of the clenching in the first place and using stress management techniques are also necessary.
Jaw Popping or Clicking
The jaw clicks when the temporomandibular joint is misaligned. There is a disc, like a cushion made of cartilage, inside this joint. When the disc misalignments return to place with the opening and closing of the mouth, it makes a “clicking” sound. The jaw will make a sound that the patient can both hear and feel.
The best treatment for jaw pain is chiropractic care, which is gentle, safe, and effective. A chiropractor will do a thorough and specific exam, including spinal x-rays, to determine the cause of the TMJ disorder. Clearing subluxations of the upper cervical spine is essential first, and then correcting misalignments of the temporomandibular joint.
Jaw Locking
When the temporomandibular joint is misaligned for various reasons, the jaw muscles spasm, preventing the jaw from opening or closing properly. Typically, the patient is stuck in an open-mouth position and unable to close their mouth. This is not only painful but also very scary and stressful. It feels like your jaw is “stuck” and you can’t close it. A chiropractor can help the patient relax, gently glide the jaw into the proper position, and guide it back into a closed position.
Jaw Pain
If the joints of the jaw (the temporomandibular joint) on the right or left, or both, are not in proper alignment, this can result in inflammation of the joint and degeneration. Inflammation leads to pain as well as tightness and spasm of the muscles attached to the jaw (the cheek muscles). If the upper cervical spine is misaligned, it can cause the TMJ to misalign as well. Bruxism (teeth grinding or clenching) puts additional stress on the jaw joints, leading to discomfort and pain.
Because the TMJ is attached to the skull via the temporal bone and to the vertebrae of the upper cervical spine via nerves, jaw pain can also cause headaches and neck pain. Temporomandibular joint dysfunction causes tightness and pain in the cheek muscles. The TMJ is very close to the ear; therefore, ear symptoms such as tinnitus, ear pain, and ear infections can result.
There can be many causes of jaw pain, such as teeth and dental issues, arthritis, or trauma to the jaw. The most common cause is bruxism (jaw clenching or grinding) due to stress. This puts additional stress on the TMJ, leading to inflammation and pain.
The best course of action to relieve jaw pain is to seek out a chiropractor who is trained and experienced in TMJ. They will do a full evaluation and x-rays of the spine and the jaw. Correcting misalignments of the jaw and the spine is essential to ensure proper alignment and provide relief. In addition, getting to the root cause is important. A chiropractor will determine if clenching or grinding due to stress is the cause. Working alongside a dentist to get a mouthguard fitted may also be necessary.
Check Out Our Location Near You
234 Littleton Rd Unit B Suite 1A, Westford, MA 01886
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Chiropractic in Westford, MA help with TMJ?
Yes, at Corrective Care Chiropractic, we will perform a thorough, specific chiropractic exam to determine whether subluxation is causing your jaw issues. We will then design a corrective plan that includes specific adjustments to address neck misalignments that may be contributing to jaw misalignment and pain. We can also gently adjust the temporomandibular joint to ensure it is properly aligned.
What causes TMJ to flare up?
TMJ disorder is typically caused by stress-related clenching or grinding of the teeth, which puts more pressure on the TMJ, resulting in inflammation, muscle spasm, and wear and tear on the joint. Because the TMJ is connected to the skull and head, a patient can have neck pain and headaches in addition to jaw pain. Jaw issues can also result from trauma or damage to the jaw. Arthritis can also damage the joint cartilage.
Can chiropractors crack jaws?
Chiropractors don’t “crack” bones. We perform specific adjustments to the vertebrae of the spine and to the extremities, such as the shoulders and knees. A gentle, specific adjustment can also be made to the jaw.
What happens if TMJ is left untreated?
If TMJ disorder is left untreated, pain and discomfort will increase in the jaw, head, and neck. Even worse, there could be permanent joint damage due to constant stress and wear down of the jaw joint. Misalignment of the jaw causes malocclusion (teeth alignment) and subsequent uneven tooth wear. Teeth grinding is often associated with TMJ disorder and can wear down tooth enamel.TMJ disorder is very uncomfortable, can increase anxiety, and can take a significant toll on emotional well-being and quality of life
Is TMJ a medical or dental problem?
TMJ disorder is a dental issue, but if severe and left untreated, it could result in medical care being necessary. A dentist specializing in the jaw can fit the patient with a mouthguard to reduce the urge to clench and grind the teeth at night, thereby reducing strain and stress on the jaw. Chiropractic is a more conservative approach that helps align the vertebrae in the neck, reduce forward head posture, and adjust the temporomandibular joint. Stress management techniques may also be necessary to reduce jaw clenching and grinding.
What is a chiropractic adjustment for TMJ like in Westford, MA?
A jaw adjustment is very gentle and specific. There is no actual “thrust” or cavitation of the joint. It is a guide for joint placement. In addition to adjusting the jaw, the chiropractors at Corrective Care Chiropractic will also do corrective adjustments on the cervical spine to ensure they are in proper alignment and lessen irritation to the nerves, allowing the neck and, therefore, the jaw to relax.
$99 New Patient Special
Includes consultation with your doctor, thorough chiropractic examination and customized plan of action. This offer does not apply to Medicare.