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TMJD Trigger


Balance Epigenetic Orthodontics - May 25, 2020 - 0 comments

You wore braces, and your teeth look perfect. You don’t have bad oral habits, such as chewing on pen caps or biting your nails. You don’t even grind or clench your teeth during sleep. You’ve never had a jaw injury. So, why do you have temporomandibular joint dysfunction? Your painful TMJD could be caused by something you may not even be aware of: your posture. 

What Is TMJ Dysfunction?

TMJ disorders are caused by improperly functioning TMJs (temporomandibular joints), which cause strain, stress and pain in the surrounding muscles, nerves, and tissues of the head, face and neck.

The TMJs are the joints on either side of your skull, located in front of each ear, that attach your lower jaw to your skull. The TMJs allow your jaw to move up and down, side to side, and back and forth. Without the TMJs, eating, speaking and moving your mouth would not be possible. So, when the TMJs are damaged, imbalanced or inflamed, the effects can be painful and even life-altering.

The most common symptoms of TMJ include:

  • Jaw pain
  • Pain in the neck, shoulders or back
  • Unexplained ear pain
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • Popping, clicking and snapping of the jaw when in use
  • Feeling as if your jaw will lock open or closed
  • Difficulty biting or chewing
  • Swelling of the jaw or face
  • Dizziness

How Are Posture and TMJ Disorders Connected?

When the body is aligned correctly, it functions at its optimal level. If all of its joints, bones and muscles are out of alignment due to slouching in your chair, sitting hunched over or straining to scroll through social media on your cell phone, it can cause your body to adopt that position as a new normal.

Poor posture can create a domino effect, too, causing your spine to be out of alignment, straining your neck muscles and contributing to an unbalanced bite — a leading cause of TMJD.

Correcting Posture Problems

If the cause of your TMJ disorder is linked to poor posture, you can help to remedy your situation and symptoms by sitting correctly. Correcting your sitting position can help put your body back into alignment, including your jaw. When standing, correct posture includes keeping your shoulders back and chest forward and not jutting your jaw forward.

When sitting, you should hold your upper body like you would in the proper standing position. Keep your buttocks on the chair — do not tuck a leg underneath you. Keep your knees at or above the hip level. If you cannot, we suggest using a footstool to elevate them.

Foot problems, including flat arches, also cause some posture problems. If you have flat feet, you may want to consider wearing supportive footwear or custom arch supports or insoles to help you stand straighter.

Are you living with the symptoms of TMJD? Dr. Buck can help. Call us today at 425-409-2291 for more information on TMJD and TMJD treatment.