Clicking every time you chew. A jaw that aches by lunch. Waking up with a tight face and a headache. TMJ problems wear you down, and every meal and conversation keeps the sore jaw working.
At Shephard Health, our chiropractors treat jaw pain and TMJ dysfunction with hands-on care for the jaw muscles, the joint and the neck together, because trouble in one usually feeds the others. We are on Kensington Road NW, a few minutes from downtown Calgary.
New patients start with a $67 exam and treatment. No referral needed, same-day appointments are often available, and we direct bill most major insurance providers.
The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) connect your lower jaw to your skull, one in front of each ear. They work with your chewing muscles every time you talk, chew, yawn or swallow. When the joint or those muscles are irritated, you may notice:
A jaw that clicks without pain is common and often harmless. Get it checked when the clicking comes with pain, locking or trouble opening your mouth.
Jaw pain with chest pain, shortness of breath or sweating can be a heart problem. Call 911.
TMJ pain usually builds from load and tension over time, and sometimes starts with an injury. These are the causes we see most:
Stress lands in the jaw. Many people clench during the day without noticing and grind at night (bruxism), which overloads the chewing muscles and the joint. Waking up with a sore jaw or a headache is a classic sign.
Long hours at a desk or looking down at a phone push your head forward. That changes how the neck and jaw muscles share the load, and the jaw often pays for it.
A hit to the jaw, a fall, a hockey check or a car accident can strain the joint and the muscles around it. Jaw pain can also show up after whiplash. If yours started after a collision, see our motor vehicle accident care.
Arthritis or a displaced disc inside the joint can cause clicking, catching or grating. Some of these need a dentist or physician as well, and we will tell you if yours does.
Most TMJ problems do not need surgery, injections or an expensive appliance to start with. Experts recommend conservative, reversible care first: hands-on treatment, exercise and better habits. That is what we do.
We assess your jaw, neck and upper back, then build a plan that can include:
Hands-on release for the chewing muscles, including the masseter, temporalis and pterygoids. We work from outside the mouth and, with your consent, inside it with gloves. Tight, overworked muscles let go, so your jaw can open and move more freely. More on Active Release Technique in Calgary.
Gentle adjustments and mobilization for the upper neck and upper back. Neck pain and jaw pain often show up together, and freeing up a stiff neck takes load off the area and makes your jaw exercises easier. More on chiropractic care in Calgary.
Low-level (cold) laser therapy is painless and is used alongside hands-on care to calm pain around the joint and jaw muscles. Several research reviews found it reduced TMJ pain, although results vary from study to study. More on laser therapy in Calgary.
Your first visit is a $67 new patient exam and treatment: about an hour with a chiropractor.
No referral needed. We direct bill most major insurance providers, so you pay only what your plan does not cover. Same-day appointments are often available at 1228 Kensington Road NW, Suite 200, open weekdays from 7 a.m. Prefer to talk first? Call (403) 543-7499.
Yes, for many people. Chiropractors treat the muscle and joint side of TMJ problems with hands-on care for the jaw muscles, neck and posture, plus exercises and habit changes. We start with an assessment and tell you honestly if another provider, such as your dentist or physician, is a better fit.
It depends on the cause. See your dentist for tooth pain, bite problems or a night guard for grinding. See a chiropractor for tight, sore jaw muscles, painful clicking, and the neck and posture problems that often come with jaw pain. Many people do best with both, and chiropractic care works alongside your dental care.
Some soft tissue work for the chewing muscles is done inside the mouth with gloves, and only with your consent. We can also work from outside the mouth.
It depends on what we find and how you respond. Many people feel a change within the first few visits, and we check your progress at every visit and adjust the plan with you.
Chiropractic care is covered by most extended health plans, and we direct bill most major insurance providers. Your coverage depends on your plan. You do not need a referral to see a chiropractor in Alberta, although some plans ask for one before they reimburse, so check yours.
Same-day appointments are often available. Book online below or call (403) 543-7499.
Same Day Appointments Available
We Direct Bill!