TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder)
TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder)
TMD (many people say TMJ which stands for Temporomandibular Joint) symptoms are seen in people of all ages, and it has been estimated that 30 percent of adults suffer from jaw pain. The tongue plays a major role in jaw stabilization, and if it isn't functioning properly or if it rests in the wrong position, there is a very high chance this can be contribute to your symptoms.
History of teeth grinding, or visual signs reported by your dentist such as “occlusal wear” or “abfractions” are often treated with nighttime appliances, such as a night guard. Tooth grinding (bruxism) can be a sign of a restricted airway during sleep. If you struggle with clenching/grinding, it might be time to evaluate your tongue and its relation to your jaw joints. It is possible myofunctional therapy can help to headaches and jaw pain if the root of these issues is related to your tongue and its association with jaw movements. However, sometimes it is best to see a TMD specialist first before starting myofunctional therapy. But a full evaluation will help best determine your needs.
How can orofacial myofunctional therapy help?
When the tongue sits low and not high in the palate, the proper resting place, there is no support for the jaw. Myofunctional therapy helps to retrain the body to nasal breathe and establish correct tongue posture which can then help balance the orofacial muscles and eliminate compensations of other muscles. Myofunctional therapy also helps to teach a person to dissociate the tongue from the jaw, helping the tongue move independently and prevent overuse of the jaw.
It’s important that we eliminate acute TMJ pain before starting myofunctional therapy. This means a person with TMD may be referred to a TMJ specialist prior to starting a myofunctional therapy program depending on the case.
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