TMJ Combined - Exercise Sheet

1) Ligament stretches

The following stretch is performed for the LEFT TM joint.

1. Place your left hand on the crown of the head with the right hand cupping the chin (with fingers pointing to the left). Tuck the jaw in (backwards) and, while keeping it backwards, take it to the right.

2. Now, RELAX the jaw but not the hands, then squeeze both hands together as if pushing the jaw backward into the left ear. Push only to the first point of pain and hold that position until the sharpness has subsided (often takes ~20 seconds).

Repeat stretch x 2-3 times with the mouth opened in slightly different positions to the left.

2.  Sevens (7s) – for the left TMJ

Firstly, the heel of the left hand pushes the meaty part of the left side of the jaw to the right and keeping the pressure on the jaw, open and close the mouth. There should be a feeling that the jaw stays to the right throughout movement.

Secondly, the thumb of the RIGHT hand rests on the lower LEFT molars with the fingers firmly grasping under the jaw. This hand pulls and guides the jaw to the right and throughout opening.

Thirdly, with both hands in place, the mouth is taken to the right and opened, maintaining firm pressure on the jaw through movement to keep the jaw to the right.

The movement should be slow and controlled, as if moving down along the long arm of the ‘figure 7’.

Repeat the exercise x 20 times.

3. Reverse Sevens (R7s)- for the right TMJ

As for the right but with hands in the reverse position, ie: heel of the right hand pushing the jaw, the left thumb/fingers gripping the right lower jaw.
The jaw is then taken to the left and opened.

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Practice exercises at least twice per day, for example, prior to cleaning your teeth. The more exercising – the better the results.