TMJ, Braces, and Jaw Pain: How Craniosacral Therapy Unlocks the Head and Neck

You’ve got jaw pain.

Maybe your dentist said it’s TMJ.

Maybe you’re wearing a mouthguard at night—

or grinding your teeth down to nubs.

Maybe your kid is getting braces,

and suddenly headaches or neck pain show up out of nowhere.

Or maybe no one’s connected the dots for you at all.

Let me do that for you.

Because I want you to know something

your orthodontist, chiropractor, or physical therapist

probably never told you:

The jaw is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Jaw Is Connected to Everything

Every time your jaw moves—chewing, swallowing, speaking—

it pulls on the bones of the head.

The cranial bones are meant to move.

Subtly, rhythmically, like breath.

But if there’s tension or trauma in the system, that motion gets stuck.

The result?

Pain. Pressure. Migraines. Dizziness. Sinus issues.

Even hip and shoulder problems can originate from a locked jaw.

Because the jaw isn’t isolated—

it’s part of a full-body web of fascia, bones, and nerves.

If you’re desperately Googling “how to help TMJ pain in jaw”

or “how to relieve TMJ jaw pain,”

please know:

real, lasting relief starts by addressing the root, not just the symptoms.

Braces and Jaw Work Can Disrupt the Whole System

When a child (or adult) gets braces, the shape of the mouth changes.

The bones of the face and head shift to accommodate that movement.

But here’s the problem: no one’s making sure the rest of the body shifts with it.

It’s like moving one part of a mobile while keeping the rest frozen—

it creates strain, torsion, imbalance.

That’s why so many people experience jaw pain with braces

(or years later, jaw pain from braces they didn’t think twice about at the time).

I’ve worked with kids in braces (telling fairytales which is quite entertaining),

adults with old dental trauma, and people still suffering after jaw surgery…

And in every case, the body was holding tension it didn’t even know was there.

Craniosacral therapy helps us release that.

What I Do (That Most Don’t)

I do very advanced cranial work—

not just gentle holds at the skull (though those matter),

but also intraoral work—inside the mouth,

releasing deep restrictions in the jaw, palate, and even the tongue.

I also go up the nose, releasing bones that affect breathing and cranial motion (this can help people on CPAPs too—more on that in the next blog).

But I don’t stop at the head.

I track the pull through the neck…

through the spine…

down to the hips and feet if needed.

If your jaw is off, your whole alignment may be compensating—

and we need to bring your entire system back into coherence.

This is way more effective than cookie-cutter exercises for TMJ jaw pain,

because we’re not just managing your symptoms—

we’re helping your body unwind the source.

“I Had No Idea My Jaw Was Causing All This”

That’s what I hear, over and over.

People come in for headaches or shoulder pain and leave saying:

“I can breathe better.”

“My neck feels free.”

“I haven’t slept this well in years.”

“My face feels like it fits me again.”

This work is gentle—but it’s powerful.

And when we release what’s been locked down—

emotionally or physically—

the whole body opens up.

This Is for You If…

• You’ve had braces (even decades ago)

• You grind your teeth or wear a nightguard

• You’ve had dental surgery, TMJ pain, or jaw clicking (usually from wisdom teeth residue)

• You have chronic tension in the face, head, or neck

• You’re a parent watching your child go through braces or headgear

• You feel like something is “off” and no one’s found the root

Let’s Unlock What’s Been Held

This work is sacred to me.

It helped me out of pain when nothing else did.

And now it’s what I offer others—a map home to themselves.

If your jaw has been speaking and no one’s been listening,

I’m here.

Let’s release what’s stuck,

and let your body remember how to move,

breathe, and live again.

Did this help you? Feel free to share it or link to it—spreading healing is how we rise together.