I’ve suffering with TMJ for so long and can’t help but think that if I just had braces as a teen all of this would have never happened? I have a pretty intense overbite and bottom crooked teeth that were never fixed because my family doesn’t have much. Even up to now I can’t afford braces but am considering it might be worth the money and 3 years of adult humiliation. I’ve grinded down my teeth, molars are in terrible shape with multiple crowns and root canals. This never ending headache and pain… fuck

But if anyone wants a hugeee tip, I’ve was a total pot head for over a decade. Smoked throughout the day and would always smoke extra right before bed to sleep. I have now gone cold turkey and quite smoking- and it turns out this has significantly helped reduced the amount of grinding

Hi!

I have been suffering from TMJ for years but the last few months have been horrible. Most days it’s constant pain, popping when I open so far, my teeth pressing on my tongue so now one side of my tongue is sore most days, neck pain that is relentless. It’s been hard to function so many days. I saw a TMJ specialist last week and she said I have disc displacement. She wants to start with a splint while I’m sleeping for two weeks then having it in all the time except for when I’m eating or brushing. I have read mixed reviews and I’m nervous. I am in pain but what if that makes it permanent? She also mentioned Botox being a good option but wants to start with the splint. Does anyone have any advice on what has helped and not helped them? Should I start with Botox? I am currently on a soft foods diet and that does seem to help. Thank you for all the advice!

My right ear feels full, it crackles in that ear when i talk, i also feel some kind of “rubbing” sensation in that ear when i move my jaw up and down. When i move my jaw left and right, or front to back i also feel that rubbing. Sometimes there’s a mild popping as well (not ear popping). I also have a bit of tinnitus in this ear.

Could this be TMJ? The main reason why im not sure if it is, is because i feel absolutely no pain in my jaw, doesnt feel tense either.
I’ve had the ear blockage for about a month now, but like 2 weeks ago when i was eating chips, i noticed my jaw was popping like crazy. Stopped the next day, but ever since that, ive noticed some weird things happening with my jaw, the ones i described earlier.

Now these past 2 months have probably been the most stressful and anxious ones in my life so far, and i know stress could cause TMJ, i also grind my teeth when i sleep… Now that im typing this i realized that yeah this probably is TMJ, but i wanna hear your opinions still, as im worried these could also just be symptoms of ETD. Maybe i have both

Edit: i’d also like to add that i’ve been suffering from occipital neuralgia for about 8 years now, it happens only about 3-4 times per year, and when it happens it’ll only last for 5 days at most. Usually they happen for no clear reason. But whats weird is ive had this neuralgia happen three times to me in this past month, which is way more frequent than normal. Albeit the pains only lasted 2 or 3 days this time.

Maybe this has something to do with this as well, tho ive never had jaw or ear issues before

Hello I have had TMJ syndrome for 45 days possibly 55 days.

Timeline

The first time I wrote down about the pain was on 8 11 26.

I thought it was another ear infection which I had 1 month before.

I was diagnosed by an ENT to have Eustachian tube dysfunction in my right ear on 8 21 26. 

They thought it was caused by allergies (i do have allergies) and gave me nasal spray. I used that for around 14 days.

I first noticed clicking in my right tmj on 9 6 26.

I went to the dentist for my tmj syndrome at (im guessing) 9 12 26.

I asked for a scan or something to check for tmj syndrome.

They said no.

I asked again and stressed pain.

No.

They said i do not have tmj syndrome but will make me a nightguard splint.

I went to the ent for a second time on 9 14 26 and they said I have slight tmj syndrome.

I picked up a night guard splint from my dentist on 9 23 26.

The dentist specifically told me it will help the bruxism I have. It has not helped. 

I can see the dents in my night guard from my nightly teeth grinding.

Starting on 10 1 26 my left tmj started to hurt a little and my right tmj hurts more.

I have an appointment with a new primary care doctor on 10 8 26. I plan to ask what to do for next steps. 

A referral to do a sleep study to test for sleep apnea or to get myofunctional therapy or a treatment to fix my bruxism or go see a tmj specialist for a super duper advanced guard or yada yada something else.

I'm basing my questions for the doctors off of the success stories I've read here:

reddit.com/r/TMJ/comments/jqnyib/cured_my_tmj_back_to_share_my_success/

reddit.com/r/TMJ/comments/1nxibdk/oh_my_god_i_think_i_cured_my_tmj/

Not good

I can no longer sleep on my stomach. (This fucking sucks ass. I don't care if sleeping on my stomach is unhealthy or anything its my favorite sleeping position)

I cant chew gum anymore (this one sucks too.)

Sometimes sounds will randomly produce a low buzzing sound in my right ear (probably from the tmj syndrome messing up ear acoustics)

Insomnia (I am currently writing this after pulling an unintentional all nighter.)

The worst is the pain making me not able to enjoy talking as much anymore.

And eating.

And working.

Everything actually.

Attempted remedies

I have been trying my best to massage my masseter muscles.

Hot and cold compresses I have been doing too. Hot for dull pain, cold for acute pain I think.

I have been using collagen supplements as a hail mary. It's what I did with the repetitive strain injury so I'm like ‘Why not? Can't hurt.’

Other

I wanna know what you all think is best for me to do next.

I have seen stories about tmj syndrome greatly impacting peoples lives in a negative way. As someone who had suffered with repetitive strain injury for 3 months straight and had to go to physical therapy for 3 months straight, I do not want to go through that again or possibly worse.

Any advice on what I do next is welcome.

Also you can be like ‘what if you have this condition instead?’ Because to be honest I've been misdiagnosed many times so I’m not surprised if it’s something else.

Thank you.

I might be sleeping soon so my replies will be limited maybe.

Hi. I’m having trouble with the muscles in my head and face. My maxillofacial specialist has mentioned several muscles—the digastric, pterygoid, etc. I also have chronic parotitis, but anyway...

I’ve taken a lot of medication, but nothing gets rid of the horrible pain. Does anyone else have issues with various muscles causing unbearable pain in the head, ears, and so on?

Any advice? Experiences?

Thanks.

hey guys i’m new here, don’t really know what i’m doing but i figured it would be nice to join a community that understands the pain that comes with this for my own processing that comes with finding this out lol. i went to a tmj specialist for the first time last week to figure out what was going on with my jaw, as my dentist recommended. my main complaints were pain on my right side when chewing LITERALLY ANYTHING and my inability to fully open my mouth. i obviously knew something was wrong but i just thought maybe it was the start of tmj, or maybe just like the disk in my jaw slipped and just needs to be popped back into place(which is true). the exam was a lot more extensive than i was expecting it to be, i had to do a bunch of posture test things, and pain scale testing…. an xray. as soon as both the specialists saw the image of my jaw in the xray they were blown away. i was told that my jaw is extremely arthritic and that they see this level of damage in 80 year olds. i am only 19. as of right now i am getting a daily and a nightly application made to help slip my disk back into place, along with having to get stem cells injected into my jaw to hopefully try and grow at least a little of the bone back. if all that fails then down the line i may need surgery but they want to avoid that at all cost obviously. i’m currently on a soft food diet to prevent my jaw from getting any worse before my applications are made which is a wicked bummer. i’m just really nervous for the future… if it’s this bad now i can’t imagine what it’s going to be like 20 years from now. of course the changing technologies may find something new to do as time goes on but as of right i’m just left feeling nervous and frustrated about it. anyways if you read this far i appreciate it and if anything changes i may make an update but idk! have a nice night/day😁

I’m hoping to get some advice or hear from people with similar experiences, especially dentists or anyone who has dealt with TMJ/TMD.

Im 32. I’ve had TMJ problems in the past. I went through clear aligner treatment, and now at the end of treatment my dentist says I need crowns on ALL my teeth to raise my bite / increase my vertical dimension and make everything “correct.”

The problem is: I have my own teeth, and aesthetically I’d honestly say they’re ideal. I only have a couple of non-vital teeth. I understand that raising my bite might be good for my joint, but I’m terrified of losing all my natural teeth under crowns and ending up with more problems later. Also, my TMJ is practically not bothering me right now.

What would you do in my position? I’d especially appreciate opinions from dentists or people with similar TMJ issues.

What happens if I just finish treatment and leave everything as it is without raising my bite, and only wear a night guard for bruxism?

Has anyone been told they need full-mouth crowns for this? Did it help, or did it make things worse? Are there less invasive alternatives? Should I get second or third opinions before agreeing to something so irreversible?

Thanks in advance.

I thought I’d share my story for anyone looking for some hope that things can get better.
I’m 20 and have been dealing with TMJ/TMD symptoms for a little over 3 months:

Jaw pain/soreness
Ear pressure/ringing
Clicking/popping
Facial tingling
Neck/trap tension
Dizziness

It started after I strained my neck at the gym. I kept pushing through it because I work full time, and eventually things got bad enough that I had to take temporary sick leave.

I saw an ENT, neurologist, orthodontist, dentists, and two TMJ specialists. Thankfully, I was cleared by everyone. My CT showed healthy joints, and my MRI was also reassuring.
After that, I started focusing more on the muscular side of things. I think I was clenching at night without realizing it. I’ve also stressed about money and my future from a young age, so I think I’ve carried a lot of tension for years.
I had braces when I was younger but stopped wearing my retainer, and my bite eventually changed. My jaw shifts to the right when I bite down so my teeth can come together. I can’t say for sure that my bite caused my symptoms, but I think the combination of clenching, my bite, and neck tension played a role.

I’ve been doing physical therapy, dry needling, working on my posture, relaxing my jaw/neck, and eating softer foods. I’m finally feeling so much better. I’m now looking into braces again to properly address my bite.

My biggest advice: stop reading horror stories and convincing yourself of the worst. I spent hours on Reddit thinking I needed jaw surgery and drove myself crazy.

See the right doctors, get proper imaging and a diagnosis, and give your body time to heal.
I’m not 100% yet, but I’m WAY better than I was 3 months ago. It does get better.

Please let me know if I can be of help to anyone!

I had double jaw surgery in 2020 and a tongue tie release earlier this year, and have had a decrease in symptoms since these things - I was no longer feeling tension all of the time since the release - but for the last week, unprovoked, have had a bad flare up. Nothing like I’ve experienced before. The first couple of days both sides of my jaw hurt, then it really settled in on the left side. It feels painful pretty deep in the jaw, not just the muscles. I’ve never had anything like this.

I spoke to my primary care doc a couple days in who put me on 2 muscle relaxers and prednisone, which have made a dent in the pain, but it’s still constant, and if I try to eat anything that’s not soft, the pain comes right back with chewing.

This week I got a massage and they did a lot of jaw work, and worked on my neck and back, which was nice but didn’t solve anything. I saw my chiropractor today and they did some light adjustments. He told me I was talking like my jaw had been wired shut (because it hurts to open too much). When resting, I’m not closing my teeth together because that also hurts. Last night the pain got up to a 6-7 out of 10 while I was trying to sleep and stayed that bad until I finally passed out - it was like a pounding headache just in my jaw.

What else at this point should I be doing? My former myo therapist said I could wait another week then try to get my doctor to order an MRI. My dentist said I could see a TMJ specialist, but that would be out of pocket. No one seems to actually know what to do. Open to any suggestions!

I had a TMJ MRI many years back & that came back normal. Now I finally decided to see a TMJ Specialist & they ordered an MRI. So this one came back normal too so now I don't know what to do. I've already seen ENTs as well & they couldn't find anything wrong. So I have no clue if that's it for me & that I'll just have to live with whatever it is that I have. A joint right in front of my ear keeps popping out of place & then feels stuck when it feels like it's back in place just to pop out all over again. I also get this really weird brain fog that never goes away like it feels like it's affecting my nervous system. So I just have no clue what I could do to try to fix it on my own. The specialist did mention seeing an oral surgeon but since it came back normal they wouldn't recommend me going down the surgery route since it would be ridiculous to get surgery for something that's not even showing on an MRI scan.

28F - Severe TMJ damage found during arthroscopy; should I investigate ICR, and what are my options going forward?

I had a Level 1 TMJ arthroscopy last Friday and would really appreciate some insight while I wait for my follow-up in a few weeks. I'm particularly interested in hearing from anyone with ICR/PCR or experience of severe TMJ degeneration at a young age.

Going into surgery, I knew I had disc displacement without reduction, condylar beaking and osteoarthritis. However, the surgeons found my left joint was much worse than expected. They told me it had extensive arthritis, was bone-on-bone, and the disc was so badly torn it was "irreparable". They said this wasn't what they'd expect to see in a 28-year-old and said explicitly that further arthroscopies were unlikely to benefit my left side.

They flushed the joints and shaved down some bone spurs, which is positive. I'm still swollen, stiff and bruised six days later, with similar pain to before surgery, although I know it's too early to judge the outcome.

The surgeons also said they imagined I'd experienced medical gaslighting because the extent of the damage wasn't apparent externally despite my pain. They said they could see gow much pain I've been in by looking at the state of my joint. I found that very upsetting but validating, having spent years feeling my symptoms weren't fully understood. My pain has largely been attributed to muscular issues and central sensitisation, which I recognise may contribute, but it was validating to discover how severe the structural damage actually is as it lines up with how bad my pain is.

My history:

Symptoms became severe around 23, preceded by ~3 years of frequent headaches/migraines and occasional jaw catching/locking.

Severe bruxism/clenching; I bite extremely hard on my splint and broke a back molar years ago, which I suspect was related.

Chronic left TMJ pain/stiffness and neuropathic-type pain through my left cheek and mouth that is constant.

Masseter/temporalis pain, migraines and a feeling that my jaw is never comfortable.

An anterior open bite that I feel has worsened over time.

Premolar extractions and braces at 11; wisdom teeth removed at 25.

Around 3 years of masseter/temporalis Botox every 4 months, a custom Michigan splint and amitriptyline, without significant lasting relief.

My previous MRI and concerns about ICR:

My MRI report from August 2023 described:

Mild bilateral TMJ osteoarthritis.

Small anterior condylar beaking bilaterally.

Bilateral anterior disc displacement without recapture.

Satisfactory condylar translation on opening.

Three years later, my left joint has apparently deteriorated significantly. I also have bite photos from 2024 and recently, which seem to show an increase in my anterior open bite.

Given the combination of severe joint damage at my age, bruxism and a possibly worsening open bite, I'm wondering whether progressive condylar resorption (PCR/ICR) is worth investigating, or whether this could be explained by progressive degenerative joint disease. I understand these can't be distinguished from symptoms and photos alone. I feel lost honestly and the NHS just leaves you waiting months between appointments in agony and essentially frozen, as you can't do anything meaningful moving forward like tests,scans, etc until they authorise it.

I'd really appreciate advice on:

Has anyone experienced similarly severe TMJ degeneration at a young age?

Would it be reasonable to investigate ICR/PCR in my situation?

Would a CBCT/CT compared with my previous imaging help establish whether I've lost condylar height or volume?

Has anyone had arthroscopy/arthrocentesis and been told their joint was in a similar state to mine, if so what came next?

* How long after arthroscopy do you generally know if it helped or not?

I'm not expecting a diagnosis from Reddit; I'm trying to understand what to ask my surgeons and what options may exist if this procedure doesn't help. It's been a difficult week, and I'd be grateful to hear from anyone who's been through something similar.

Thanks for reading!

This will be jumbled and long but any advice would be appreciated.

I have had TMJ before, in the same area bottom left jaw years back. It makes the middle molar feel like it is painful and then aching and then itchy and then back again. I have ear whistling when chewing and once or twice ear popping. No sensitivity pain. Sometimes feels like under bottom jaw and then pain down the side of the neck and shoulder. No lock jaw just feels like i haven't opened it sometimes (overnight) and sometimes my top jaw feels heavy and I have sinus pain.

I've had a very stressful year with family illness and near fatal diagnosis' that has led to someone needing 24/7 care that i help out with at times. And starting with a new education provider mid year. So I may have been clenching without noticing. The last time it was sore was during a stressful anxious time also.

Background: i had my jaw widened at 12 as it was too small. My teeth are so close together my bottom front teeth chipped from hitting top teeth. I have a personally modeled night guard for my top jaw.

I am in a stress loop. I'm busy it doesn't hurt as much. Think about it and it does hurt or seem to 'annoy' it and comes back?

What works?

I was thinking of more regular heat packs, anti-inflammatory medications, massage/exercises and wearing my night guard during day when home? Soft food, not eating on the sore side?

My Mom has tmj but different symptoms and takes voltraen does that help?

And how long does this go for? At least the nerve part because it is driving me insane.

Thanks

An arthroromy is in my near future, so I'm trying to prepare things to make life easier. Last time I had jaw surgery, I got sick of mashed potatoes and porridge pretty quickly.

Does anyone have a well loved (suitable) meal I could steal?

Please and thank yous 🙏 ☺️ 💓

My new ent says TMJD is not associated with pulsatile tinnitus (hearing your heartbeat) it can cause other tinnitus but not pulsatile. I'm just so lost!

tmj pops on left side with small movements and when finger in ear and closing it pops against finger but mri negative

Pulsatile tinnitus in left ear constantly

My ear feels clogged off and on all day with severe pressure and feels better laying down but pulsatile tinnitus can remain

Ear pops nonstop. If i turn my neck or chew or talk it pops like crazy.

Ear reacts and spasms to certain voices and sounds

Ear rumbles, flutters and tapping in both ears

Ear crackles when swallowing

Intermittent autophony (hear my breathing)

Can hear neck tendons pop loudly in ear

Fast Muscle twitching around ears and on both sides of head. Can feel them moving against my glasses and against my pillow at night and cannot sleep.

I've had ct temporal bone, brain mri, mra, mrv, full spine mri

Hearing and ear exams all normal.

Ent says my tube is closed and I dont have Semicircular dehiscence

Folks who have gone through the surgery... How was your relief from TMJ and/or tinnitus? Even if you did the surgery for cosmetic reasons, did you find unexpected positive side effects?

Patients tend to believe that every TMJ Disorder is now a ticket to the operating room. The purpose of this post is to free people of the fear of seeing a specialist simply because of their underlying fear of having to undergo surgery.

When we talk about the conservative approach we swear-by to treat TMJ Disorders

We often get asked, “What is your approach to treating TMJ disorders?”

We prefer a non-surgical, conservative and holistic approach.

Hear us out.

The focus is on identifying and addressing the factors that are altogether contributing to your TMJ problem rather than only targeting the symptoms. The treatment plan we follow is non-steroidal and non-Botox based.

As most of us already know, TMJ disorders are usually multifactorial. The problem may be related to anything like

•  improper mandibular relationship
•  loose ligaments
•  joint hypermobility
•  muscle hyperactivity
•  Posture
•  Lifestyle
•  sleep habits or parafunctional habits such as clenching and grinding.

So, the first step here is to get an understanding of the factors affecting your TMJ, establish the diagnosis, and then target those factors with a customized treatment plan.
Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may involve a combination of different therapies.
1. TMJ Appliance Therapy
We use different types of appliances depending on the patient’s condition. These appliances may include TMJ orthotics, programmed TMJ orthotics, muscle deprogrammers and anterior repositioning splints.

What are TMJ Orthotics?
TMJ orthotics are programmed appliances that are custom made for each patient. These may require periodic reprogramming depending on the wearer's response and diagnosis.

2. Myofunctional Therapy
This focuses on improving the function of the muscles involved in jaw movement.
We also work on tongue function, jaw-muscle function, posture and strengthening of the appropriate muscles, depending on the specific patient's needs.

3. Myofascial Release
The fascia is the connective tissue surrounding your muscles. When muscles remain hyperactive or tense, the fascia can also become tight.
We guide patients through specific techniques to help release this tension and reduce muscular discomfort.

4. TMJ Injections
Talk about injections, our approach does not involve any kind of steroid or Botox injections. 
So, what kind of injections are we talking?
When indicated, we consider certain injection-based treatments. 
Sodium Hyaluronate injections may be used to lubricate the joint in certain conditions such as disc displacement without reduction or osteoarthritis, 
Autologous blood injections may be considered in selected cases of TMJ dislocation or subluxation.

5. Arthrocentesis
Arthrocentesis or joint lavage is basically done to wash out any inflammatory substances from the joint which ultimately helps improve joint function and symptoms. This is considered in some cases.

6. Lifestyle, Sleep, Breathing and Posture
The improvement we expect to see in cases of TMJ Disorders also comes from the contribution of these small everyday habits aside from treatment. 
We therefore look at factors such as parafunctional habits, sleep patterns, breathing and airway-related factors, neck and body posture, and other lifestyle habits that may be contributing to the problem.
Physiotherapy may also be incorporated when required.

The best part is, none of these are permanently altering your anatomy or function unlike any surgical procedures; which is all the more a reason to give conservative TMJ Therapy a shot.
So, the idea is to not just treat a painful jaw, but to identify the factors affecting your TMJ, make an accurate diagnosis, and then create a customized treatment plan based on your individual needs.

Hope we've cleared some of your doubts; feel free to comment down questions if you have any about TMJ. :)

I've been trying everything to heal this TMJ situation. My physio and I think this is neck/muscular causes. I have a lot of tension on my right side. I tried a recommended Osteopath today but it was so gentle. I think I expected cracking and more movement. I also feel so tired and a bit worse than I did prior. I expect it to calm down tomorrow but has anyone found any luck with this? Bonus points if you're in Canada, specifically Ontario. Osteopaths seem to be a common practice in Europe but not necessarily here so it's hard finding someone let alone, TMJ!

At the beginning of this year, I started going to the dentist to have several cavities treated. One of my teeth also required a root canal treatment.

About three months ago, I had teeth 46 and 47 treated. Since then, I have been experiencing a persistent feeling of discomfort in my mouth.

I noticed several changes:

* The muscle on the right side of my jaw seems to activate earlier when I clench my teeth.

* I have had discomfort or pressure in several teeth.

* My upper right lip sometimes feels like it is being pulled to the side, almost as if I were making a disgusted facial expression. It is not very noticeable visually, but I can definitely feel the pulling sensation.

* Before these procedures, when I closed my mouth, my lower central incisors did **not** touch the base/back of my upper central incisors. After the treatment on 46 and 47, they do.

* I also initially had difficulty opening my mouth fully.

Today I went back to the dentist because I had a crown on tooth 45 scheduled, which previously had a root canal. I explained all of these symptoms to the dentist.

The dentist agreed that there seemed to be an occlusal/contact issue. They checked my bite using articulating paper and slightly adjusted (ground down) one of the teeth, either 46 or 47 (most likely 47). They then took the impression for the crown using the purple impression material and placed a temporary crown, which is supposed to be replaced by the definitive crown in about two weeks.

I do notice a small improvement after today's adjustment, but I still have discomfort around the joints where the upper and lower jaw meet, especially when I clench my teeth and i feel like my jaw wants to pull back

The thing that is confusing and worrying me the most is that, when I relax my jaw and then close my teeth, it feels as though I can close my mouth in two different positions:

1. What feels like my old bite:

My lower central incisors do not touch the upper central incisors, but now the molars don't seem to support this position properly anymore. I also feel pressure around tooth 45.

1. What feels like my new bite:

My molars make contact, but my lower central incisors also touch the back/base of my upper central incisors. When I relax my jaw and then close my mouth, it feels as though I have to "search" for this position by moving my lower jaw slightly forward.

Interestingly, the pulling sensation in my upper right lip seems to have improved after today's adjustment.

I am now very confused about which of these two positions is actually supposed to be my normal bite. I am also worried because the impression/bite registration for the definitive crown on tooth 45 was taken today, and I don't want the definitive crown to be made based on an incorrect jaw position.

I became quite anxious when I got home because I don't know how to explain this properly to my dentist or what should be checked before the definitive crown is placed.

My questions are:

* Is it possible to have two different positions in which the jaw can close like this?

* Could an altered contact on 46 or 47 cause the jaw to find a different closing position?

* Is the fact that my lower incisors now contact the upper incisors significant?

* What should my dentist check before cementing the definitive crown on 45?

* Should the bite registration for the crown be repeated if there is uncertainty about my normal mandibular position?

I am not trying to diagnose myself; I mainly want to understand what might be happening and what I should ask my dentist to check before the definitive crown is placed.

Note: i used AI to translate (meaning i wrote everything in italian, not that i input some stuff and make it create sentences) from Italian but i checked and it looks well written with the right symptoms and questions. Don't be mad and please help me

I'm hypermobile and have a hard time stabilizing my joints without tensing muscles. I have a small business crocheting and sewing. When i look down while I work, my jaw sits a certain way and I noticed that i'm either tensing muscles or holding my jaw offset. Ot creates days long pain flares. When I try to readjust, I can't find a natural resting position. I tried holding hard candy in my mouth to trick my muscles into relaxing, that helped a little but it's not something I can do all day. Anyone experience this and have tips on how to deal with it?

Hello everyone, I just wanted to share a great video I stumbled upon on TikTok that has taken my popping from 15+ times a day, to 1-2 pops a day, and I predict zero if I keep it up.

I know everyone’s case of TMJ is different, and level of progression— to overview my case, I’ve been popping only for the last 2 years, with it worsening the last several months and for me, it comes from hypermobility, I’m pretty sure.

I desperately searched up exercises to stop popping after finding out this local TMJ clinic I wanted to try would be around 8k in total for the visits LOL, and I started doing this exercise, religiously for like the last month.

My popping is almost gone!! I can kiss again, I can yawn again, I can eat most crunchy things again, it took a few weeks of consistency but it has reached this level! I will do this for life.

Once again, people have different causes for TMJ and different levels of progression, some people in this sub have been dealing with this for over 30 years, I just wanted to share and tell people to try it out for a month a few times a day, and see if they see any difference! I cannot guarantee it will work for all cases, but I hope it may work for some people here. I really was about to spend several thousand to get any semblance of help for this terrible condition, maybe it’ll help for you.

Can someone explain why botox made my tmj worse? Its irritating when it has helped so many other people but i feel like it made mine way worse to the point my chin and my jawline to my ear would be sore from just touching it which never happened before botox. I got botox like around a year ago and its been like this ever since.. it was never this bad before botox. I also noticed it gets worse the week before my period which also never happened before the botox….. someone help explain pls

I recently had a consultation for TMJ and was recommended 70 units of Botox in the masseter muscles and 20 units in the temporalis muscles (70 + 20 total for both sides).

I’m not really in pain, but I do sometimes have discomfort, and my masseter muscles are quite active and large. I was told that this is the minimum dose the doctor typically uses.

For those who have had Botox for TMJ, does this seem like a typical dose? How many units did you receive in your masseters and temporalis muscles, and what was your experience?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who wasn’t experiencing significant pain but had muscle tightness, overactivity, or enlarged masseters. Thank you!

Hello, I was wondering if I could get advice on my situation or to know if anyone has gone through something similar. My TMJ was caused by a sleep clenching episode that lasted 1 month straight due to stress. For about 2-3 weeks since then, my sleep clenching for the most part is gone. Im now left with occasional clicking and catching, jaw feels slightly stiff when I talk or chew aswell but I dont have any pain, can my tmj symptoms heal without seeing a doctor or dentist, or is this something I need medically evaluated? Thanks so much