call 617-969-8995
call 617-969-8995
Our treatment for TMJ begins with an evaluation to determine the possible causes of your symptoms. During this evaluation, we will:
The information we gather during the evaluation helps us to determine the predisposing, causative, and perpetuating factors and allows us to develop an appropriate treatment plan for your TMJ.
If our evaluation concludes that muscular dysfunction is the primary cause of your TMJ, we typically use the following protocol:
1. Our first goal is to resolve muscle imbalances and eliminate myofascial trigger points through:
2. After your jaw or face pain is resolved and optimal tissue balance is restored (thus optimal structure achieved and maintained), we start working on function through individualized, therapeutic exercise. Appropriate activation of your face and neck muscles during functional activities is the final goal of this stage of your rehabilitation program.
Throughout this entire process, you learn self-management techniques appropriate for your condition and stage of recovery.
If we determine that you may benefit from the use of a dental appliance to balance your bite and optimally align the jaw, we will work with your dentist or, if you don’t have a dental specialist in TMJ, we will gladly refer you to one.
If during your initial evaluation (or at any point of your treatment process) we establish that your TMJ symptoms are at least partially related to a true joint dysfunction, we’ll refer you to a dentist who specializes in treatment of TMJ for appropriate diagnostics (panoramic x-rays, and if indicated an MRI or CT scan) and fabrication of a jaw appliance. We’ll then work together with the dentist, supporting their interventions through use of modalities (e.g. ultrasound), jaw stretching, joint mobilization (or stabilization), and movement retraining exercises. We’ll also work on the involved muscles, as described in the muscular dysfunction protocol listed above.
“Finding Teresa to treat my TMJ was a godsend. When I first started treatment, I could hardly open my mouth, and I was eating just mushy food. Sometimes even chewing oatmeal was painful! With treatment with Teresa, my muscles finally relaxed and my pain gradually decreased. Now I can eat normally, and I don’t have any more TMJ pain.” Read more about what former patients say >
Watch video testimonials and read what our former patients say about treatment for TMJ at New Body ~ New Mind.
To schedule an appointment, simply fill out our appointment request form online or give us a call at 617-969-8995.