Dr. Jenn Garven provides acupuncture for TMJ pain and temporomandibular disorders at Nottinghill Family Wellness Centre in Oakville. Dr. Jenn completed the Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program through McMaster University and uses acupuncture primarily for musculoskeletal pain and injury.
TMJ problems can look very different from one patient to another. Some people have pain directly over the jaw joint, while others notice painful clicking, catching, reduced mouth opening, discomfort with chewing or headaches associated with their jaw. Dr. Jenn assesses the joint and surrounding muscles first before deciding whether acupuncture is appropriate.
Learn more about Dr. Jenn Garven or book an acupuncture appointment in Oakville.
Acupuncture for TMJ and TMD Pain
The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, connects the lower jaw to the skull and has to both rotate and glide every time you talk, chew or open your mouth. Pain can come from the joint itself, the disc within the joint, or muscles such as the masseter and temporalis that control jaw movement.
Acupuncture is one treatment option Dr. Jenn may use when TMJ pain has a significant muscular or pain-related component. Treatment is individualized rather than using the same acupuncture points for every patient.
A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis found that acupuncture showed potential benefit for pain and other outcomes in temporomandibular disorders, although the authors also noted that the overall quality of the evidence was low. Read the TMJ acupuncture research on PubMed.
What TMJ Problems Does Dr. Jenn Assess?
Patients commonly come to our Oakville clinic with pain over one or both jaw joints, painful clicking or popping, difficulty opening the mouth comfortably, pain while chewing, jaw catching or locking, tenderness around the masseter or temples, and headaches associated with clenching or jaw irritation.
Not every click requires treatment. A painless jaw click that has been present for years can be very different from a jaw that has suddenly become painful, restricted or is beginning to lock.
If you want a more complete explanation of TMJ diagnosis, jaw anatomy, exercises and the different treatments available at our clinic, visit our main TMJ Treatment in Oakville page.
How Dr. Jenn Uses Acupuncture for TMJ Pain
Dr. Jenn begins by assessing where the pain is coming from and how the jaw moves. She looks at mouth opening, tenderness around the joint, the masseter and temporalis muscles, clenching or grinding history, and whether the neck appears to be contributing to the patient’s symptoms.
When acupuncture is appropriate, very thin needles can be placed into selected muscles and tissues around the jaw, face, head or neck depending on the examination findings. The goal is to help reduce pain and excessive muscle tension and improve comfortable jaw movement.
Acupuncture is not automatically the only treatment used for every TMJ patient. Depending on the problem, some patients may also benefit from hands-on muscle treatment, jaw mobilization, exercises, treatment of a relevant neck problem or dental assessment when a nightguard or dental issue needs to be considered.
For more information about the type of acupuncture Dr. Jenn provides, visit our Acupuncture in Oakville page.
TMJ Pain Versus Jaw Muscle Tension
TMJ pain and jaw muscle pain overlap, but they are not always the same problem.
This page is specifically about acupuncture for TMJ and TMD-related pain, including painful joint movement, restricted opening, catching and symptoms arising around the temporomandibular joint.
If your main complaint is a tight jaw, clenching, teeth grinding, sore masseter muscles or general facial and jaw tension, visit our separate guide to Acupuncture for Jaw Pain and Jaw Tension.
Keeping the two problems separate helps us choose treatment based on what is actually causing the symptoms rather than assuming every sore jaw is the same condition.
What Does TMJ Acupuncture Feel Like?
The needles used for acupuncture are extremely thin. Most patients tolerate treatment around the jaw well, although it is normal to occasionally notice a brief prick, pressure, heaviness or mild aching around an acupuncture point.
The exact number and location of needles depends on the patient. Dr. Jenn does not use one standard TMJ protocol for everybody.
If you have questions about acupuncture needles, safety, appointment length or what to expect, visit our Acupuncture FAQs.
How Many Acupuncture Treatments Are Needed for TMJ Pain?
There is no fixed number of visits that every TMJ patient requires. Someone with recent muscle-related jaw pain is different from someone who has been clenching for years, has restricted mouth opening or has an established joint disorder.
Dr. Jenn reassesses how the jaw is moving and how the patient is responding as treatment progresses. If acupuncture is helping, that guides the decision about continuing. If the response is poor, the diagnosis or treatment approach needs to be reconsidered rather than simply continuing indefinitely.
Book Acupuncture for TMJ Pain in Oakville
If TMJ pain is making it difficult to chew, yawn, talk comfortably or open your mouth normally, Dr. Jenn can assess the problem and determine whether acupuncture is an appropriate part of your treatment.
Dr. Jenn Garven provides contemporary medical acupuncture at Nottinghill Family Wellness Centre in Glen Abbey, Oakville.
Nottinghill Family Wellness Centre
1131 Nottinghill Gate
Oakville, Ontario L6M 1K5
Call: 905-827-4197
Text: 289-228-8858
Book an acupuncture appointment with Dr. Jenn
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