Support the jaw. Muscle balance. Life feels easier.

Jaw tension that won’t go away? TMJ muscle support that retrains the muscle habits behind clenching, grinding and jaw strain—here in Ottawa.

Give your jaw a real rest.

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The Pattern

Clenching and bracing can become your default—often without you noticing—until it shows up as tension, fatigue, or discomfort.

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The Skill

We teach practical awareness and retraining: tongue posture, jaw rest position, breathing habits, and functional coordination.

Place anywhere indoors and enjoy

The Plan

You get a clear plan with simple steps, coaching, and progress tracking.

Built around your specific patterns and goals.

Is This You?

  • Jaw tension or tightness (daytime, mornings, or after work)


  • Clenching, grinding (bruxism), or bracing during focus, driving, exercise, or stress


  • Jaw feels “stuck” on waking (you have to work it open)


  • Locking, catching, or limited opening (even if it releases)


  • Headaches, temple tightness, or facial fatigue


  • Jaw gets tired with longer chewing (gum, tougher foods, or even easier foods)


  • Clicking, popping, crackling, or “squishing” sounds (with or without discomfort)


  • Neck or shoulder tension that feels linked to your jaw

*If any of this sounds like you, it may be a retrainable muscle pattern.

60-Second Self-Check

  • Sit tall. Let your shoulders drop. Lips together.

  • Ask yourself: does your jaw feel like it’s doing any work to be “at rest”?

  • Your jaw at rest should feel quiet and effortless—no holding, bracing, or pressure.


    If it feels like work, that’s a common clenching/bracing pattern we can retrain.

What We Do

Jaw Rest Position (Baseline)

Goal: Reduce default clenching/bracing and give the jaw a true “rest.”

How: Teeth apart cues, lip seal guidance, tongue-up posture, awareness resets throughout the day.

Clenching & Grinding Habit Retraining

Goal: Catch the moments your jaw turns “on” and retrain the pattern.

How: Trigger mapping (focus/stress/screens/exercise), replacement habits, daytime bite awareness, nighttime habit support.

Tongue Posture & Palatal Support

Goal: Improve tongue position that supports a calmer jaw system.

How: Tongue-to-palate placement, stability drills, suction hold coaching, functional integration.

Swallow Pattern & Muscle Coordination

Goal: Tongue-to-palate, lip seal, calm jaw support.

How: Rest tongue gently suctioned on the palate, lips lightly together, teeth slightly apart; breathe through the nose.

Chewing Mechanics & Jaw Efficiency

Goal: Build balanced, efficient chewing without overload.

How: Chew pattern coaching, side-to-side symmetry, pacing, fatigue thresholds, food strategy.

Neck/Shoulder + Jaw Link (Tension Patterns)

Goal: Reduce top-down tension that feeds jaw bracing.

How: Posture cues, breathing pattern awareness, gentle release strategies, coordination with allied providers when helpful.

Try This

Goal: Turn the jaw “off” for 30 seconds.

How: Suction your tongue on the roof of your mouth, lips together, teeth slightly apart. Exhale softly. Repeat 3 times.

Struggling With This

TMJ Muscle Support Benefits of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

Person waking rested with relaxed breathing and posture

Lower jaw muscle load

Less constant “holding” through the day.

Less pressure on sensitive structures

Reducing muscle strain can ease irritation around nearby nerves and blood vessels.

Smoother jaw movement

Opening and closing can feel more fluid and controlled.

Less TMJ load from micro-movements

Fewer tiny, repeated jaw movements can mean less cumulative joint stress.

More comfortable chewing

Better efficiency can reduce fatigue with tougher foods or longer meals.

Less end-of-day jaw fatigue

More energy left in the jaw after work, screens, and talking.

Fewer tension flare-ups

Less “snowballing” tightness once the jaw gets triggered.

Calmer face and temples

Reduced overwork in the surrounding muscle system.

Better morning feel

Less tightness on waking; an easier start to the day.

Your TMJ Muscle Support Plan

Simple daily skills. Real-life comfort.

1 Free Consultation

We listen to your concerns (jaw tension, clenching, headaches, clicking/locking) and explain how TMJ muscle support works. You’ll learn what we do and whether it fits your goals. Clear next steps, no pressure.

2 Assessment & Baseline Exam

A detailed look at your jaw function patterns: rest posture, clenching triggers, range of motion, chewing/swallow coordination, and related neck/face tension. We map what’s driving the strain and what to focus on first.

3 Diagnosis & Tailored Treatment Plan

We organize your findings into a clear plan: what’s happening, why it’s persisting, and what we’ll retrain. Your plan includes simple micro-routines, frequency, and how we’ll measure progress.

4 Coaching & Progress

Step-by-step exercises and habit coaching you can do daily (2–5 minutes at a time). We review, fine-tune, and progress as your jaw feels calmer, movement gets smoother, and flare-ups reduce over time.

What Is Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy?

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is focused “muscle and habit” training for the tongue, lips, jaw, and face. For TMJ muscle support, we look at how your jaw rests, how often it braces or clenches, and how the surrounding muscles coordinate during chewing, swallowing, speaking, and sleep. When these patterns are inefficient, the jaw muscles can stay overactive—showing up as tension, fatigue, and flare-ups.


Therapy starts with a detailed assessment of your jaw function patterns (rest posture, opening and closing mechanics, clenching triggers, chewing and swallow coordination, and related neck/facial tension). Then we build simple, targeted exercises and micro-routines you weave into daily life—during focus, driving, workouts, and sleep. By retraining the baseline and reducing unnecessary effort, many people experience smoother jaw movement, less daily strain, and a calmer jaw system over time.

Frequently asked questions

What is TMJ muscle support?

TMJ muscle support focuses on the habits and coordination patterns that overload the jaw muscles—like clenching, bracing, oral posture, chewing, and swallowing patterns.

Can Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy help with clenching or grinding?

We can support clenching and grinding patterns by retraining daytime triggers and improving oral posture and muscle coordination. We also teach sleep therapy that carries these new patterns into the subconscious at night—supporting calmer jaw muscles, steadier breathing habits, and reduced bracing over time. Results vary, but many people notice fewer “caught clenching” moments and less morning tightness.

Why is my jaw worse in the morning?

Many people brace or clench during sleep without realizing it. Morning tightness is often a sign the jaw muscles didn’t fully rest overnight.

What does therapy involve?

A detailed assessment, then simple daily micro-routines (often 2–5 minutes at a time) with coaching and progression over time.

What if my jaw clicks, pops, or crackles?

Jaw sounds are common and can have different causes. We focus on balancing the muscles, reducing muscle strain and improving movement efficiency.

What if my jaw locks or catches?

Locking or catching should be assessed carefully. We start by balancing the muscles that support the jaw and teaching gentle, non-forcing strategies to reduce strain and improve control. If your pattern doesn’t appear to be primarily muscle-based, we’ll coordinate with the appropriate specialist for further assessment.

How soon will I feel a difference?

Some people feel small changes within a few weeks, especially in awareness and daytime tension. Longer-term change usually depends on consistency and your specific patterns.

Is this a replacement for dental care, physiotherapy, or a night guard?

No. Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy complements care by addressing muscle habits. Many patients use it alongside dental guidance, physiotherapy, and other supports.

What ages do you treat?

We support both adults and children. The approach and exercises are adapted to age, development, and goals.

Ottawa, Ontario Clinic

1193 St. Laurent Blvd

Inside the East Ottawa Dental Clinic


Monday, 8am to 4pm

Tuesday & Wednesday, 10am to 6pm 

Thursday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm

Sunday, Closed

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