TMJ symptoms are often evaluated from the site of pain.
But jaw pain, bruxism, mouth breathing, oral posture, sleep-disordered breathing, and airway dysfunction can be more connected than they first appear.
In this on-demand discussion, Katelyn Swiader, MSEd, CCC-SLP, and Leah Schie, MSEd, SLP, IBCLC, CFT, explore the relationship between temporomandibular disorders, airway dysfunction, and orofacial pain.
Rather than looking at TMJ symptoms in isolation, this conversation considers how airway-related patterns can shape patient presentation, how sleep bruxism is being discussed in relation to airway obstruction, and how providers can think more broadly when screening and supporting patients with overlapping TMJ and airway concerns.
WHO THIS IS FOR AND WHY
This is especially relevant for:
- Speech-language pathologists working with airway, feeding, voice, swallowing, or orofacial function
- Myofunctional therapists interested in oral posture, breathing, and TMJ-related symptoms
- Dental and orthodontic professionals evaluating bruxism, airway, and jaw-related concerns
- Clinicians supporting pediatric or adult patients with mouth breathing, clenching, grinding, or orofacial pain
- Students and educators exploring the connection between airway, oral function, and TMJ dysfunction
DISCUSSION POINTS
- The relationship between TMD and airway dysfunction
- How mouth breathing and sleep-disordered breathing can show up in TMJ presentations
- Clinical signs of airway-related dysfunction in pediatric and adult patients
- The proposed connection between sleep bruxism and airway obstruction
- How bruxism may function as a compensatory airway response
- Airway screening considerations for TMJ presentations
- Distinguishing primary TMJ pathology from airway-driven contributors
- Myofunctional and breathing-based intervention considerations
WATCH THE VIDEO
WHY THIS MATTERS
TMJ symptoms rarely exist in isolation.
A patient may present with jaw pain, clenching, grinding, headaches, facial tension, disrupted sleep, mouth breathing, or poor oral posture. These concerns are often treated separately, but in some cases, they point to a larger airway and functional pattern.
When airway involvement is overlooked, providers can miss part of the picture.
This discussion offers a grounded clinical conversation about how airway, breathing, sleep, and orofacial function can overlap in both pediatric and adult patients.
The goal is not to suggest that every TMJ case is airway-driven.
The goal is to help clinicians consider what is worth screening, what signs are easy to miss, and how breathing-based and myofunctional considerations can fit into broader care planning.
MEET THE HOSTS
Leah Schie, MSEd, SLP, IBCLC, CFT
Dylan McKay is a human performance specialist and founder of RenderSafe, with a background in Special Operations and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) in the New Zealand Army. He previously led the New Zealand Special Forces Human Performance Programme and developed the Performance Breathing System® to examine how breathing behavior changes under stress using applied breathing science and wearable biofeedback. He holds a Professional Diploma in Applied Breathing Science and is completing an MSc in Human Performance Optimisation at Buckinghamshire New University in London.
Katelyn Swiader, MSEd, CCC-SLP
Dr. Bausek brings a deep scientific perspective to respiratory physiology, genetics, and systems-based thinking. Her work bridges research and application, helping translate complex biological principles into meaningful clinical insight.
