ALLIED HEALTH

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is one of several specialist disciplines coordinated in multidisciplinary TMJ care at Auckland TMJ Centre. Specialised jaw exercises help retrain the muscles, restore natural jaw movement, and encourage proper disc alignment.

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TMJ physiotherapy: specialist jaw rehabilitation

Overview

What this means for you.

TMJ physiotherapy is specialist jaw rehabilitation delivered by TMJ-focused physiotherapists working alongside surgeons, rheumatologists, oral medicine, neurologists, and chronic pain teams as required. Specialised jaw exercises help retrain the muscles, restore natural jaw movement, and encourage proper disc alignment, a process known as functional remodelling.

Specialty
TMJ-focused physiotherapy
Role
One discipline within multidisciplinary care
Starts
Just days after surgery, where applicable
Continues
Throughout the healing process
Named practitioners
Nikki Tse · Sasa Sajjavanich · Sarah Talyancich · Emma Whelen

Is this for you

TMJ physiotherapy may be appropriate when:

  • You are recovering from TMJ surgery and need specialised jaw exercises to retrain the muscles
  • Restoring natural jaw movement and proper disc alignment is part of your rehabilitation
  • Your TMJ presentation may respond to targeted physiotherapy alongside other specialist input
  • Your surgical team has identified physiotherapy as the right discipline for your presentation

What to expect

What physiotherapy involves

We work closely with TMJ-focused physiotherapists who have particular expertise in jaw rehabilitation. Physiotherapy is engaged as part of multidisciplinary TMJ care, alongside surgeons, rheumatologists, oral medicine, neurologists, and chronic pain teams as required.

  • Functional remodelling

    Specialised jaw exercises help retrain the muscles, restore natural jaw movement, and encourage proper disc alignment. This process, known as functional remodelling, significantly reduces the risk of symptoms recurring.

  • Starts just days after surgery

    We refer our patients to physiotherapists throughout the healing process, starting in the days after surgery where applicable.

  • Part of multidisciplinary care

    Physiotherapy contributes alongside other specialist disciplines. The combination is chosen for each patient's specific TMJ presentation.

Common questions

Common questions about TMJ physiotherapy

How does physiotherapy fit with TMJ surgery?

Physiotherapy plays a key role in your recovery following TMJ surgery. Specialised jaw exercises help retrain the muscles, restore natural jaw movement, and encourage proper disc alignment. This process, known as functional remodelling, significantly reduces the risk of symptoms recurring.

When does physiotherapy start after TMJ surgery?

We refer our patients to TMJ-focused physiotherapists throughout the healing process, starting in the days after surgery where applicable.

Where does physiotherapy sit within multidisciplinary care?

At Auckland TMJ Centre, care is multidisciplinary. Surgeons, physiotherapists, rheumatologists, oral medicine, neurologists, and chronic pain teams contribute as required, ensuring each patient receives the right combination of specialist expertise. Physiotherapy is one of these disciplines.

Related

Related care at Auckland TMJ Centre

Same surgeons

OMS Specialists

When surgery is required, it is carried out at OMS Specialists, our co-located oral and maxillofacial surgery practice. Same surgeons, same accredited facility, full-scope surgical care across jaw, facial, oral, and skin conditions.

Visit OMS Specialists