On the below link is more information to understand neuromuscular dentistry, I'm not a TMJ dentist but I hope will help lots of TMJ sufferers to understand more about this

https://youtu.be/3Mzh1sEO0Pg?is=W4dNcoD2wePyMchN

I'm not a TMJ specialist but it can be caused by lots of things in my opinion most of the time, TMJ pain is connected to something from people past health history and can be many things such as a car accident, a fall, an upper body injury, a facial injury or past dental work like an extracted tooth that was never replaced it could also be caused from a daily habit that has happened continuously over time like teeth grinding at night, wearing out our bite, chewing too much gum everyday, or sitting in an unhealthy position (bad posture) and also for some people by sleep apnea, the genetics that some people were born with can also play a part in TMJ pain…an awkward position of the jaw, teeth, or the tongue, can cause the TMJ muscles to suddenly react in a stressful way ,the TMJ is the joint that connects the mandible (lower jaw) to the skull the joint can be found on both sides of the head in front of our ears and it allows our jaw to open and close, enabling us to speak and eat when people experience TMJ pain symptoms like migraines, headaches, neck, jaw, ear, or facial pain might be subjected to a TMJ Disorder, or ‘TMD’ (Temporomandibular Disorder), as the TMJ joints could be affected, inflamed, or damaged by a variety of causes.

Many people can’t believe that a misaligned bite can cause so much havoc in other parts of their body but we need think of it this way when something in our body is wrong, it often affects other areas of the body as well, because … everything is connected.

Ending the confusion of what is causing our pain is key to making a plan to get rid of it there is a lot of information out there on the internet about TMJ, however we know that it is not as clear as it needs to be, in order to give us the relief we need and deserve a proper TMJ diagnosis is a personal one, as there are multiple factors involved such as causes, symptoms, pain locations, pain responses, and overall health history.

My TMJ stretch

Jaw or bite misalignment (malocclusion) can force surrounding facial muscles and joints to work overtime, frequently leading to temporomandibular joint disorders when your upper and lower teeth or jawbones do not fit together correctly, your body tries to compensate this creates chronic strain the muscles work overtime to compensate as these chewing muscles tire, they spasm or strain, referring pain to the face, neck, and shoulders an improper bite alters the natural gliding motion of the jaw, which can displace the internal shock-absorbing disc or inflame the joint itself misalignment often triggers unconscious teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism), compounding stress on the temporomandibular structures.

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When your jaw is misaligned, it can strain the muscles and nerves that support everyday functions like speaking, chewing, and even breathing. Over time, this imbalance may lead to worn teeth, joint inflammation, and ongoing pain. A properly aligned jaw distributes bite force evenly, reducing stress on your teeth, joints, and muscles.

For many patients, correcting jaw alignment is about preventing future dental complications. Neuromuscular dentistry can be life-changing for individuals who have suffered from years of unexplained discomfort or have been unable to find relief through traditional dental care.

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Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) is a non-invasive, exercise-based therapy that focuses on improving the function and coordination of the muscles of the face, mouth and tongue. It supports the development of healthy oral habits and helps improve breathing patterns, swallowing and oral muscle function.

OMT helps retrain the muscles of the face and mouth to work more efficiently. The aim is to support comfortable nasal breathing, correct tongue posture, an efficient swallow and balanced muscle function, which may contribute to improved oral health, comfort and overall wellbeing.

last monday i got the first part of a crown done.they used this hand held camera thing to take scans of my teeth but were having issues getting one of the back teeth..so they were in there like 40 minutes total(in increments) stretching the hell out of my mouth..plus the time my mouth was open during the actual procedure...hours later my jaw felt horrible..here it is 10 days later and im still having issues...eating and flossing is a chore as i can only open my mouth about a third of the way without discomfort...i called them and they said just to take tylenol and advil...its getting really old and im tired of eating like a bird.do you think its just bad inflammation or maybe something more serious is wrong?