Slouching can have a serious impact on people’s perceptions of others. People who slouch are often thought of as lazy, uninterested, passive, and unattractive. So why do we slouch? Among the countless reasons people acquire this unfortunate habit, few people realize their jaw may have something to do with it. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) could be ruining posture.
What Is TMD?
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint that connects the jaw to the skull. [link id=’114′ text=’Temporomandibular joint disorder‘ esc_html=’false’] (TMD) then is the name given to dozens of issues that can result in misalignment of the jaw due to dysfunction of the TMJ.
Some of the most common symptoms of TMD include clicking, popping, or grinding noises when opening and shutting the mouth, pain and swelling around the jaw joint, teeth grinding, sleep apnea, chronic headaches, neck and backaches, and yes poor posture.
How Can a Jaw Disorder Ruin Posture?
When the jaw joint dysfunctions, it requires surrounding structures to work harder to support the positioning of the jaw. But, those systems aren’t designed for this extra strain and so the result is an imperfect one that pulls other muscles and tendons away from supporting things like posture.
What Does This Look Like?
While surrounding structures strain to make up for a dysfunctional jaw joint, they have to slightly come out of position to do so. This adjustment can cause:
- Shrugged shoulders
- Hunching
- Head leaning forward
- Weak abdominal muscles
- Other postural improprieties
For additional information, see this article written by Dr. Marzban in the Washingtonian.
Beyond Posture
Poor posture as a result of TMD affects more than just the way we look; it can also have significant effects on the body as a whole. Some of the issues related to TMD are:
- Irregular blood pressure
- Deterioration of digestive function
- Back or spinal pain
- Decreased oxygenation of your organs
- Diminished lung capacity
With regularly scheduled examinations, Dr. Pamela Marzban and our dental team can examine your jaw joint using our advanced dental technology, which includes using the K-7 computer system, jaw tracking, computerized mandibular scanning, and T-Scan digital bite measurement.
Diagnosis in Fairfax, VA
People living with chronic jaw pain living in Greater Washington D.C. area can receive more information about TMJ disorders and their treatment by making an appointment with Dr. Pamela Marzban by calling our offices at 703-349-4277 or visiting our [link id=’50003′ text=’contact form‘ esc_html=’false’].
