At Hosmer Chiropractic Health, we take a comprehensive approach to helping patients find relief from jaw tension and TMD (temporomandibular disorders). Our chiropractors focus on the full region surrounding the jaw — from muscle tension to joint function — to restore comfort and balance. They typically incorporate TMJ joint capsule and alignment work through chiropractic manipulations, shockwave therapy, and Class IV laser therapy, a cutting-edge technique that helps reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, and accelerate healing. Alongside this care, I offer intraoral massage, a bodywork technique that complements our chiropractic treatments and can also stand alone as a therapeutic service.
What is Intraoral Massage?
Intraoral massage is a specialization that focuses on the structures inside and around the head, face, jaw, neck and shoulders. The treatment assesses a number of structures associated with the jaw including the roof of the mouth, floor of the mouth, cranial bones, masseter, temporalis, and pterygoids which are key structures involved in chewing, swallowing, speaking, and jaw alignment.
Using gloved hands, I work inside the mouth to release tension patterns that external massage alone can’t reach. This approach can help reduce pain, improve range of motion, and ease the jaw’s overworked muscles, which can be strained from injury, imbalance, clenching, grinding, or stress.
Many people are surprised by how much relief they notice, not only in the jaw, but also in the head, neck, shoulders and throughout the body after intraoral treatment.
My Training and Approach
I started providing intraoral treatment in 2024 after taking a deep dive course with Alex Susbauer earlier that year. After seeing how helpful this work was for myself and my clients, I took an extended class this fall, The Comprehensive Integrative Bodywork for the Jaw & Intraoral Workshop, a 16-hour course taught by Alex Susbauer and Johnathan Primack.
I design each intraoral session to fit each patient’s individual case, and I consider the structural balance, pain, and posture patterns that are present throughout the body when addressing the jaw.
How Intraoral Massage Helps
This treatment can be especially beneficial for people experiencing:
- Stress and tension held in the head, face, jaw, neck, and shoulders
- TMJ or TMD-related pain
- Clicking or popping of the jaw
- Limited jaw opening or stiffness
- Headaches or migraines
- Bruxism (clenching or grinding)
- Post-dental or orthodontic discomfort
- Recovery from head and neck injury
Intraoral massage helps improve structural balance, provide ease, create a sense of spaciousness in the jaw and face, and enhance overall function.
Focused Relief
Whether you’re dealing with jaw tightness, clicking, or tension-related headaches, intraoral massage offers a unique way to bring awareness and ease back to the face and jaw. It’s precise, mindful work that helps our patients reconnect with one of the most expressive and overworked areas of the body.
If you’re interested in finding out if intraoral massage is right for you, please schedule an appointment with me by calling (503) 227-2279 or via our online booking system. You will need to fill out an additional consent form that the front desk can provide when you come into the clinic before intraoral massage treatment.
If you’re interested in meeting with one of our chiropractors who specialize in temporomandibular disorders, check out the practitioner list at the bottom of the TMD/TMJ Treatment page.