Temporomandibular disorder

A temporomandibular disorder (TMD) affects the jaw joint and the muscles around it, causing jaw pain, clicking or locking, headaches, and difficulty chewing or opening the mouth. It's often linked to clenching, grinding, stress, or jaw overuse, and is more common than many people expect.

Physiotherapy offers effective, conservative care using gentle jaw exercises, manual therapy, and practical advice to relax the muscles and restore comfortable movement. In this guide we cover assessment and evidence-based physiotherapy management of temporomandibular disorders — clear clinical reasoning for practitioners and simple, reassuring guidance for patients dealing with jaw pain.