If you’re experiencing jaw pain, facial tightness, clicking when you chew, or chronic headaches that just won’t go away, it could be more than stress—it could be TMJ disorder.
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the small but powerful hinge that connects your jaw to your skull. It’s involved in every yawn, bite, and word you speak. When this joint—or the surrounding muscles—becomes inflamed, tight, or misaligned, it can lead to painful and persistent symptoms that interfere with your daily life.
While many people start by seeing a dentist or primary care doctor, TMJ dysfunction is a complex condition that often requires specialized care. General providers may treat the surface-level symptoms, but they often miss the muscular, postural, or neurological components that truly drive the pain.
That’s where the team at Medici Orthopaedics & Spine in Snellville comes in.
Our TMJ specialists are trained to look deeper. We don’t just ask where it hurts—we assess why it’s happening, how your body is compensating, and what we can do to relieve the strain on your jaw without surgery or long-term medications.
At Medici, we offer a non-surgical, whole-body approach to TMJ care. That means our team includes:
We treat the root cause, not just the symptoms—and we do it in a way that’s tailored to you.
Our Snellville clinic is proud to provide cutting-edge TMJ care in a warm, supportive environment. We specialize in helping patients who:
From your first consultation to your final therapy session, you’ll experience the Medici difference: a smarter, safer, and more personalized path to healing.
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is one of the most active and complex joints in your body. Located just in front of each ear, the TMJ connects your jawbone to your skull and enables essential movements like chewing, speaking, yawning, and swallowing.
Because the TMJ is used constantly—and relies on a delicate balance of muscles, bones, cartilage, and ligaments—it’s especially prone to strain, dysfunction, and misalignment. When this balance is disrupted, it can lead to a condition known as TMJ disorder, or TMD.
Unlike many joints, the TMJ moves in multiple directions—up and down, side to side, and forward and back—all while absorbing pressure from biting and chewing. When the joint or the muscles surrounding it become irritated, tight, or inflamed, pain and limited function often follow.
Many patients don’t realize their jaw discomfort, earaches, or even neck stiffness are connected to TMJ dysfunction. That’s why specialized evaluation and care are so important.
Often subconscious—especially during sleep—bruxism places excessive stress on the jaw muscles and joint, leading to inflammation and soreness.
If your bite is uneven or your teeth don’t meet properly, it can force the TMJ to work harder and move abnormally, which may cause chronic pain or joint strain.
Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can affect the TMJ, wearing down cartilage and reducing joint mobility.
A fall, car accident, or direct impact to the jaw can damage the joint structure or alter the way the muscles function, leading to long-term dysfunction if not addressed.
Stress and anxiety often lead to unconscious jaw tension, clenching, or poor posture—especially in the neck and shoulders—which contributes to muscle fatigue and TMJ strain.
The signs of TMJ disorder can range from subtle to severe—and they often affect more than just the jaw. Typical symptoms include:
Left untreated, TMJ disorder can worsen over time—causing more persistent pain, joint damage, or even chronic lockjaw in some cases.
At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine in Snellville, we believe successful TMJ treatment starts with a comprehensive, hands-on evaluation. Our TMJ specialists go beyond symptom management to understand the full muscular, skeletal, and functional dynamics of your jaw, neck, and facial structure. This thorough approach allows us to create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your unique condition and lifestyle.
We begin by discussing your symptoms, pain patterns, habits, and any prior treatments. This helps us identify contributing factors like bruxism (teeth grinding), stress, injury, or arthritis.
Using gentle palpation and motion testing, we evaluate:
We assess your jaw alignment and how your teeth come together, as poor bite mechanics often force the TMJ and surrounding muscles into overuse.
In certain cases, we may recommend imaging—such as X-rays or MRI—to rule out joint degeneration, disc displacement, or structural abnormalities. These tools help us make informed, accurate diagnoses and avoid unnecessary procedures.
At Medici, we believe that most TMJ disorders can be treated without surgery, especially when caught early. We offer a wide range of non-invasive therapies designed to restore comfort, function, and long-term jaw health.
Our TMJ-trained physical therapists work to reduce tension, restore muscle balance, and improve jaw mobility through:
Botox can be used to calm overactive muscles, such as the masseter and temporalis, that contribute to clenching, grinding, and facial tension. This quick, in-office treatment offers relief that lasts 3–4 months.
If nighttime grinding or misalignment is part of your issue, a custom-fitted nightguard can help protect your teeth and reduce strain on the TMJ during sleep.
When needed, we may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications or muscle relaxants to manage acute pain. All medications are non-opioid and carefully monitored as part of a broader, balanced treatment plan.
Since stress is one of the most common triggers for TMJ flare-ups, we offer tools to help you:
At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine in Snellville, we believe the most effective TMJ care doesn’t come from a single provider—it comes from a team. That’s why we’ve built a multi-disciplinary care model that brings together experts from different specialties to deliver a comprehensive, coordinated approach to healing your jaw pain.
At our Snellville clinic, your care is coordinated by a collaborative team of specialists, all under one roof:
This integrated care model allows us to consider every angle of your TMJ disorder—physical, neurological, behavioral, and postural—so you don’t have to chase down referrals or piece together your own plan.
Living with jaw pain, clenching, facial tension, or frequent headaches can wear you down physically and emotionally—but you don’t have to suffer in silence. At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, we bring advanced, non-surgical TMJ care to patients right here in Snellville, offering real solutions for long-term relief.
With a team of specialists who understand the complex relationship between muscles, joints, posture, and stress, we’re proud to provide a comprehensive, whole-body approach to healing. From hands-on therapy and Botox treatment to nightguards and lifestyle coaching, our multidisciplinary care model is designed to address your TMJ pain from every angle—without surgery or unnecessary medication.
The earlier you seek care, the better your chances of avoiding chronic joint damage, worsening symptoms, or the need for invasive treatment down the road.
📍 Visit our Snellville clinic at:
2220 Wisteria Drive, Unit 101, Snellville, GA 30078
📞 Call +1-844-328-4624 🔗 Schedule your consultation today
At Medici, you’re more than your MRI.
We take time to hear your story, understand your pain, and create a plan that actually works for you.
Our team delivers specialist care at convenient locations across Metro Atlanta:
Get expert tips on injury recovery, pain relief, joint health, and movement strategies—straight from our Fellowship-Trained team.
