How to Unlock a Locked Jaw (TMJ)

If you're reading this, you're probably freaking out right now. But don't worry, because in this article I'll go over everything you should try to safely unlock your jaw at home. 

Before we start, there are 2 kinds of lockjaw - one in which you can't close your mouth, and one in which you can't open it. So scroll to the one you're interested in.

Open Lock

An open lock happens most often when you over extend your jaw through something like yawning, or generally anything that requires you to open your mouth all the way.

Some people are more prone than others based off of how loose ligaments are in the jaw (aka if you have an open lock, you're more likely to get more in the future, so be careful).

Basically what happens is your Condyle (the ball end of your mandible aka jaw) comes out of its socket and settles in front of a bump in the mandibular fossa (the socket in which your jaw joint normally moves around in). 

Here is the procedure for unlocking it:

1. Apply a heating pad for around 15 minutes to loosen up your jaw muscles
2. Place both your thumbs on both sides of your bottom molars.
3. Rotate/press your thumbs down to pull the joint out of its resting position (downwards)
4. Push your jaw backwards (towards your skull) to relocate it back into its proper location.

Remember. Push it down and THEN back.

Having a friend or family member do this for you makes things easier, and if you feel uncomfortable doing it at home, you should visit a doctor. Just don't stress, this stuff happens a lot and is fairly easy to correct.

Closed Lock (Trismus)

This one is a little more complicated, and just warning you, there's a chance that you won't be able to unlock it by yourself. I for example have this on my left side and haven't been able to unlock it for 11 months (although opening and pain have been slowly improving over time). But the good news is that for 6 months before that, I would get a closed lock every morning and was able to unlock it fairly quickly. I just didn't start treatment until it was too late I'm afraid.

If you're curious as to why your jaw is locked closed, I recommend reading this article before doing the procedure. It REALLY helps understanding the anatomy. 

Anyways, here it is

1. You need to relax the muscle spasms around your TMJ. So first, that means heat. Ideally moist heat. And lots of it, because you need it to penetrate deeper muscle tissue. If you have time, go take a hot shower or bath. If you don't, get a hot pad or microwave a mug of water.
2. Massage. Ideally you do this in the shower or use the bottom ridge of the hot mug of water while you're heating to combine the two. Focus the pressure around the TMJ (right in front of your ear).
3. Ideally while heating AND massaging, let your jaw fully relax and hang a bit open. Then push it sideways AWAY from the locked joint. So if your left side is locked, push your jaw to the right. This may feel tight, so just do it very slowly. As you heat and massage it should be able to move more and more.
4. When you get your jaw as far sideways as you can, start slowly opening your mouth wider and wider. Keep heating and massaging the locked joint.
5. Once you have opened as far as you can, hopefully you are not able to slide the jaw back TOWARDS the locked joint. At this point your jaw should be unlocked, and you can slowly close your mouth again.

Even if this works for you, go to a doctor that will see the urgency of your condition. Closed locks signal an already loosened set up ligaments, which means this will keep happening unless you fix something. If you're feeling anxious, feel free to text us at 856-624-3393. 

By the way, I've been dealing with this for a couple years now. Lockjaw was the whole reason I decided to invent myTMJ Pen, as a tool that lets you combine heat and massaging pressure, because sometimes I found it impossible to hop in a shower or microwave some water. Check it out here. (use code friends&family for 15% off. I know I should porbably change the name since the F&F funding round)