TMJ (Jaw Joint) Treatment and Atlas Therapy

The atlas is the topmost vertebra of the spine and carries the skull. The muscles and joints in this region share a nerve supply with the jaw joint, so tension in one directly affects the other. With the head held forward, the resting position of the lower jaw changes and load on the joint increases.

The programme therefore does not treat the jaw alone. Atlas therapy uses gentle manual techniques on the upper neck to reduce tension there and rebalance the head-neck-jaw relationship. It is not a forceful manipulation; it is controlled and stays within your tolerance.

Tooth alignment, missing teeth, a high filling and night guards can all be decisive factors. Those belong to your dentist or oral surgeon; physiotherapy complements that work rather than replacing it.

If you use a night guard, bring it to the assessment. Physiotherapy gives the best result when it runs alongside the treatment your dentist has planned.

In the first session jaw movement is measured (mouth opening recorded in millimetres), deviations in the opening path are observed, and the chewing muscles and upper neck are examined by hand. If there is headache or an ear complaint, its relationship to the jaw is assessed separately.

The programme usually begins by reducing pain and muscle tension, then moves to movement control and posture work. Adjusting daily habits — avoiding tooth contact, stopping one-sided chewing, the phone-to-shoulder habit — is what makes the result last.