Jaw Problems Or TMJ Issues

By Kenny Merlevede

Senior Physiotherapist, Founder and Director · Registered with the AHPRA (PHY0002060505)

Kenny Merlevede is a Senior Physiotherapist with 18 years of experience in private practice, with a focus on complex cervical presentations and persistent musculoskeletal conditions

Read more about Kenny →

Last reviewed: 20 September 2026

Jaw Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

At Physio K in Bondi Junction, we see many patients with jaw dysfunction, a range of problems affecting the jaw joint and the muscles that move it. Most people experience pain, clicking or popping sounds, stiffness on waking, and difficulty chewing or opening wide. The condition responds well to physiotherapy, with most patients seeing meaningful improvement within weeks to a few months through manual therapy, exercise and addressing the underlying causes.

At a glance

What the jaw joint does and what goes wrong

Your jaw joint sits just in front of your ear, connecting your lower jaw to your skull. It moves every time you talk, chew, yawn or swallow, making it one of the most frequently used joints in your body. A small disc of cartilage sits inside the joint to cushion movement, and a group of muscles around your jaw and temples control how it opens, closes and shifts side to side.

When something disrupts this system, you can develop jaw dysfunction. The disc may slip out of position, the joint surfaces may wear down, or the muscles may become overloaded and painful. Stress often plays a central role: clenching or grinding your teeth at night puts enormous force through the jaw, and many people do it without realising. Poor posture, particularly a forward head position at a desk or on your phone, loads the muscles at the top of your neck and can spill over into the jaw. The medical name for this is temporomandibular disorder, often shortened to TMD or TMJ dysfunction.

Like most things with the human body, jaw problems are usually something that's been building up over time rather than appearing out of nowhere. It can come on suddenly from acute trauma, like a direct knock to the face or chin, but most of the time it's a mix of stress, clenching or grinding at night, postural tension or neck issues. Presentation varies too: some people get pain, others mainly notice clicking.

What jaw dysfunction feels like

Jaw dysfunction typically causes aching or sharp pain in front of your ear, along your cheek, or down the side of your jaw, especially when you chew tougher foods or open your mouth wide for a yawn. Many people notice clicking, popping or grinding noises from the joint, and some experience episodes where the jaw "gets stuck" or locks, either open or closed. Stiffness first thing in the morning is common, particularly if you've been clenching overnight.

Secondary symptoms can include headaches around your temples, neck pain, a feeling of fullness or ringing in your ears, and fatigue in your jaw when you've been talking or eating for a while. Some people find their jaw deviates to one side when they open their mouth, or that their teeth feel sensitive even though there's no obvious dental problem.

In acute stages, pain may be sharp and linked to a specific event, such as a long dental appointment or a knock to the jaw, and jaw movement may suddenly become limited or painful. Fluctuating pain, muscle tenderness and intermittent clicking are typical of sub-acute presentations. Chronic jaw dysfunction is characterised by persistent or recurrent pain, ongoing restriction, and stronger links with stress, sleep disturbance and other pain conditions.

The pain is reliably worse with chewing, yawning or clenching, and the muscles around your jaw are usually tender to touch. Dental problems are ruled out, and neurological examination is normal apart from the pain itself.

What causes jaw dysfunction and who is at risk

Jaw dysfunction is rarely caused by a single factor. Structural causes include the disc inside the joint slipping out of position, wear and tear of the joint surfaces similar to osteoarthritis, and previous trauma to the jaw or face. Biomechanical factors involve altered bite, sustained mouth opening, and abnormal loading patterns in the jaw and neck muscles. Pain in the jaw muscles themselves, without any joint problem, is also a common primary diagnosis.

The biggest one is clenching or grinding at night. That's the most common cause or contributor we see. High stress levels, poor sleep, prolonged mouth opening during dental procedures, and repetitive chewing of gum or hard foods are all modifiable risk factors. Postural factors matter too: prolonged forward head posture with screen use loads the muscles at the top of your neck, and because the jaw joint sits so close to the neck, with a direct ligament connection between the two, there's a lot of overlap between jaw and neck issues. Most jaw problems come with some degree of upper neck involvement.

Women are more commonly affected than men, and symptoms most often start in adolescence or early to mid adulthood, although older people can also develop jaw dysfunction. Previous jaw injury and genetic factors, such as joint laxity, may play a role, but evidence remains limited.

Common triggers include periods of increased stress, dental treatment requiring prolonged mouth opening, orthodontic changes, impact injuries, and changes in chewing patterns. Cold weather, illness and poor sleep can also worsen symptoms in some patients.

How common is jaw dysfunction

Jaw dysfunction is relatively common. Research published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation in 2024 pooled data from general population studies worldwide and found that around 15 per cent of adults have some form of jaw disorder, with approximately 8 per cent experiencing pain, 24 per cent experiencing joint sounds such as clicking, and 7 per cent reporting locking episodes. Another recent review in the Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache reported that globally, approximately 29.5 per cent of individuals have signs or symptoms of jaw dysfunction, with higher rates in women and younger age groups.

Children and adolescents also show notable rates of jaw dysfunction, although the evidence base for this group is less robust. Occupational groups involving high stress, repetitive jaw use or prolonged speaking, such as office workers, teachers, call centre staff and performers, may have higher symptom burdens. Contact sports and occupations with risk of facial trauma can also increase risk. Specific Australian prevalence data are limited, but patterns are likely similar to other high-income countries.

How jaw dysfunction is treated

Management of jaw dysfunction is usually conservative, multidisciplinary and tailored to your specific diagnosis and situation. First-line approaches include education about jaw anatomy and pain mechanisms, advice to reduce overloading behaviours such as clenching, gum chewing and extreme mouth opening, and simple self-care strategies such as heat or cold application and habit awareness.

In most cases, jaw problems respond well to physiotherapy. At Physio K, we use gentle manual techniques and dry needling as useful tools for managing the problem. Mobilising the joint from inside the mouth is one we use often: we put gloves on and work to manually improve mobility in the jaw joint itself. Soft tissue work to release tight muscles, including the chewing muscles at the side of your jaw, is often part of this too. Dry needling of the affected muscles can help, and in many cases benefits both the joint and the muscle at once. We'll usually also give people specific home exercises to maintain and build on that improvement, including controlled opening, closing and lateral movements, alongside posture and neck conditioning.

Because the jaw joint sits so close to the top of the neck, with a ligament connection between the two, there's a lot of overlap between jaw and neck issues. Most jaw problems come with some degree of upper neck involvement, and headaches, ear pain, tinnitus and dizziness can all be part of the same picture. We always try to address the cause as well, not just the symptoms. That often means meditation or mindfulness techniques, so people learn to catch themselves clenching, or ideally catch it before it happens.

Adjunct interventions may include occlusal splints, prescribed by dentists to reduce nocturnal loading, cognitive and behavioural strategies to manage stress and parafunctional habits, and modalities such as low-level laser therapy or other electrotherapy. Evidence for these adjuncts varies, with manual therapy and multimodal physiotherapy showing the strongest and most consistent benefits for pain and function.

Pharmacological management commonly involves short-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, simple analgesics, or muscle relaxants, prescribed by GPs or dental practitioners. Physiotherapists do not prescribe medicines, but they can liaise with prescribers and help monitor response.

Surgical interventions, such as arthroscopy, arthrocentesis, disc repositioning or joint replacement, are reserved for severe structural problems that fail to respond to conservative care, particularly with significant locking or degenerative joint disease. Referral to oral medicine, maxillofacial surgery or pain specialists is appropriate when symptoms are severe, progressive or associated with complex comorbidities.

What the research shows

Physiotherapy for jaw dysfunction is well supported by research. A systematic review published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation in 2016 examined manual therapy techniques targeting the jaw and neck muscles and joints and found "low to high quality evidence of improved pain and mouth opening compared with control interventions" in patients with jaw dysfunction. A 2019 review in the same journal reported that "physical therapy interventions, including manual therapy, exercise and patient education, are associated with clinically meaningful reductions in pain and improvements in function in patients with temporomandibular disorders".

A 2023 randomised controlled trial in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation found that adding a pressure release technique to conventional management with occlusal splints and self-care produced greater reductions in self-reported pain in patients with chronic jaw muscle pain compared with placebo pressure release. A 2020 trial protocol published in BMJ Openhighlighted the growing role of physiotherapy within multimodal management, describing a trial comparing musculoskeletal physiotherapy plus occlusal splint and education versus occlusal splint and education alone in chronic jaw muscle disorders.

"The biggest one is that people don't realise a physio can help with this at all. Most go straight to their dentist, who fits them with a splint or mouth guard. That's great for protecting the teeth, and it usually stops the grinding, but it doesn't stop the clenching. So the teeth are safe, but the underlying jaw problem is still there," says Kenny Merlevede, physiotherapist and director at Physio K.

Prognosis is generally favourable, especially when patients receive early education, load modification and targeted physiotherapy. Many improve over weeks to months, although chronic cases may need longer-term self-management and periodic support.

Different approaches at Physio K

Physio K offers physiotherapy for jaw dysfunction, combining several hands-on treatments in the one session.

Your physiotherapist will start by assessing your jaw joint and the surrounding muscles, and looking at contributing factors such as neck posture, clenching habits and stress. Treatment is then tailored to you and may include jaw joint mobilisation, soft tissue release and massage techniques for the muscles at the side of the jaw, the temples, and the top of the neck and shoulders, dry needling, and specific exercises to improve controlled movement and strength.

Because jaw and neck function are closely connected, your physiotherapist will also treat the neck and upper back where needed. Soft tissue work can help ease muscle tension, particularly when jaw pain is linked to stress, while the assessment and exercise components address the underlying mechanics. Your physiotherapist will also help you identify and modify habits that overload the jaw, so you have practical tools to manage the problem over the long term.

Having your treatment delivered by one practitioner means it stays coordinated and can be adjusted as your symptoms change. Many people find this combined approach helpful, particularly in the early stages when pain and muscle tightness are high.

When to seek urgent help

Most jaw dysfunction is not a medical emergency, but certain symptoms require prompt medical assessment. Seek urgent help if you have had recent significant trauma to your face, rapidly increasing swelling, fever and systemic illness, progressive numbness or weakness in your face, unexplained weight loss, or severe limitation of mouth opening that impairs eating or airway management. These symptoms may indicate a more serious underlying condition and require immediate medical attention.

Cost and funding

Physiotherapy for jaw dysfunction is typically self-funded in Australia. If you have a chronic condition and are eligible for a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, you may be able to claim a Medicare rebate for up to five allied health sessions per calendar year, although a gap payment usually applies. Rebate amounts change, so confirm the current amount with your GP or the clinic before booking.

Private health insurance extras cover may provide a rebate for physiotherapy, depending on your level of cover. Check with your insurer to confirm your entitlement and any annual limits or waiting periods.

If your jaw dysfunction is work-related and you have an accepted WorkCover claim, treatment may be covered under that scheme. NDIS participants may be able to access physiotherapy where it is reasonable and necessary under their plan. Confirm eligibility and current costs with your GP, insurer, plan manager or the clinic before your first appointment.

Common questions

Can a physiotherapist actually help with jaw problems or is it only a dentist's job?

Physiotherapists can absolutely help with jaw problems, and research shows that manual therapy, exercise and education are effective first-line treatments. Dentists often fit splints to protect the teeth, which is useful, but splints don't stop clenching or address the underlying muscle and joint mechanics. At Physio K, we mobilise the jaw joint, release tight muscles with hands-on treatment and dry needling, and give you specific exercises and strategies to manage the cause, not just the symptoms. Many patients notice improvement as treatment progresses, though this varies depending on how long symptoms have been present.

Why does my jaw click and is it going to get worse?

Clicking usually means the disc inside your jaw joint is moving slightly out of position as you open and close your mouth. It's very common and doesn't always mean serious damage. Many people have clicking without pain, and it often stays stable or improves with treatment. Pain, locking or a sudden change in the clicking pattern are more concerning and warrant assessment. We assess the joint, the muscles and your habits to work out what's driving the clicking and whether it needs treatment.

How long will this take to settle?

Most people with jaw dysfunction see meaningful improvement within a few weeks to three months with physiotherapy, particularly when they address the underlying causes such as clenching, stress and posture. Some cases settle faster, others take longer, especially if symptoms have been present for a long time or if there's a strong stress or sleep component. Treatment plans are typically reviewed after an initial series of sessions, with progress varying based on individual factors like symptom duration and contributing causes.

Is this damage to my jaw joint or just the muscles?

It can be either, or both. Some people have joint problems such as disc displacement or wear and tear, while others have primarily muscle pain from overload, clenching or stress. Often it's a mix. We assess the joint and the muscles separately to work out what's contributing most, and that guides the treatment. Even when there is a joint problem, the muscles usually need attention too, and addressing both gives the best outcome.

Reviewed by Maria Josefina Canepa Bustos. She is a Senior Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist with a focus on sports and paediatric musculoskeletal rehabilitation, with eight years of clinical experience across private practice, sports clubs, and academic settings. Holds a Master of Science in Advanced Professional Practice in Paediatric Musculoskeletal Health, alongside postgraduate qualifications in therapeutic exercise and university teaching, with a focus on young athletes, injury prevention, and performance-based rehabilitation in sport settings. Registered with the AHPRA (PHY0002918524)

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for personal medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, please consult a qualified clinician or your GP.