When Is Treatment Appropriate?

From a treatment perspective, the earlier the better. However, treatment must be directed toward the problematic structure.

In my experience, most of these problems can be fixed permanently with the right treatment. Because these conditions are usually longstanding, they may take several months to resolve.

The key to an optimal outcome is to find and treat the cause, then persevere with the correction. This follows the fundamental principles of physiotherapy. The jaw joint is simply a joint that has often been neglected.

Ignoring early signs such as clicking, pain, or stiffness with the belief that it will improve on its own often leads to worsening problems.

Left untreated, TMD can interfere with daily life. Loud clicking can affect social situations. Eating becomes restricted. Yawning can be painful. Grinding can damage teeth and disturb sleep.

Many current remedies focus on settling symptoms. Pain medication, splints, massage, dry needling, or general jaw exercises may provide temporary relief. However, they often do little to address the original cause.

The key to eliminating TMD is identifying and treating the initial problem, which in my experience has very little to do with muscles or teeth alone.

There is a simple long term remedy. It involves:

• Assessing the jaw joints properly
• Identifying the problematic structure
• Using specific techniques to restore normal movement
• Measuring improvement over time

In a four year retrospective study of over 90 patients in my clinic, more than 80 percent treated using The Latimer Technique returned to normal, click free ranges within eight treatments.