Orfacial Myofunctional Therapy and TMJ dysfunction in Adults
What is Temporal Mandibular Joint or TMJ
The TMJ is situated in front of the ears, and has a hinge joint on each side that connects the lower jaw to the skull, this allows us to breath, eat and talk.
Symptoms
Ears- ear pain, vertigo, dizziness, ringing
Jaw- clicking, popping, grating
Neck- neck pain, sore, tired muscles
Headaches- forehead, temporalis, migraine
Mouth- limited opening, deviation, locks shut or open, clenching, grinding
Cause
The correct position of the tongue should sit to the roof of the mouth as this stabilises the jaw and other muscles, if it doesn’t can lead to TMJ dysfunctions as other muscles are used and become over worked and fatigued, causing TMJ pain and headaches, difficulty eating and opening the mouth.