This year we will be incorporating a monthly segment on the blog about specific muscles that may be less recognizable in terms of name-recognition, but whose job is integral to our daily lives. These are the muscles that our therapists interact with regularly and understand intimately, but you’ve probably never even considered! To start us off, we’ve chosen a group that have been attracting much attention in the office recently.
In terms of day-to-day function, the jaw muscles are some of the most over-used and under-appreciated (and probably misunderstood) muscles in the body. They are also definitively the strongest muscles in the body based on weight. With all muscles of the jaw working together, they can close the teeth with a force as great as 55 pounds (25 kilograms) on the incisors or 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms) on the molars.
These tissues move the jaw in a complex three-dimensional manner during jaw movements. The muscles that move the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) include three for closing (masseter, temporalis, and medial pterygoid) and two for opening (lateral pterygoid and digastric). Several disorders stem from the dysfunction or damage to these muscles and we hope that, if you recognize yourself in the following description, you’ll reach out so we can help.
“Pain from the temporalis muscle is usually felt as facial pain or headache in the temple and forehead, from the masseter muscle in the jaw and posterior teeth, from the medial pterygoid muscle deep in the cheek and in front of the ear, and from the lateral pterygoid muscle in the zygomatic area. In addition, chronic pain in the neck and suboccipital and sternocleidomastoid muscles may spread to the facial region” (Bakke, Merete. 2016).
If you have structural issues with your jaw and are experiencing clicking or discomfort or pain, you will want to come to see us for some relief!
Both Jacob Mitton – Osteopathic Manual Practitioner (OMP) – and Cindy Grove – Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) – have specific techniques to reduce pain and improve function of the jaw as well as the greater head and neck areas. Use our online scheduling feature to book a time that’s convenient – https://bit.ly/4azHTta – or send us an email to inquire!
References:
- Bakke, Merete. “Jaw Muscle Disorders.” Functional Occlusion in Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics, 2016. Pages 173-187. Retrieved January 2, 2025 from: https://bit.ly/3ZY1cb7
- Murray. Greg M. “Jaw Movement and Its Control”. Functional Occlusion in Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics, 2016. Pages 55-66. Retrieved January 2, 2025 from: https://bit.ly/4fH4eSoGH
- Image Source: https://bit.ly/4gZMWpb
