TMJ Locked Open: What to Do When Your Jaw Will Not Close
A jaw that will not close can be frightening. If you are searching for TMJ locked open information, the most important point comes first: a jaw stuck open usually needs urgent medical or dental care. This article explains what to do first, how an open jaw lock differs from a jaw that will not open, why it matters to get it looked at promptly, and where physiotherapy can help once urgent care has been sorted.
Once a jaw that is stuck open has received appropriate medical or dental assessment and any urgent issues have been addressed, physiotherapy may help manage ongoing jaw movement difficulties when the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or surrounding muscles are involved. A physiotherapist experienced in jaw conditions can assess function and recommend suitable rehabilitation strategies based on the individual's needs and recovery. For those seeking jaw-focused physiotherapy in Balmain or the wider Sydney area, Sydney TMJ Physio is one option to explore for ongoing TMJ-related concerns. The priority, however, is to seek urgent medical or dental care for a jaw that remains stuck open rather than attempting to force it closed or manage it with exercises at home.
Understanding TMJ Locked Open
A TMJ locked open means the jaw is fixed in an open position and cannot close. In the research literature this is usually described as dislocation of the temporomandibular joint, where the rounded end of the jawbone moves forward out of its normal position and does not return on its own. It is often recognised simply by finding a lower jaw that is stuck open.
A systematic review and guideline by Prechel and colleagues (2018) reports that acute dislocations are repositioned by a clinician promptly, and that a correct assessment and the start of treatment without delay are essential to avoid permanent damage to the joint. The authors also note that there have been very few randomised trials on treatment, so evidence-based conclusions are limited. This is why a jaw stuck open should be treated as time-sensitive and not as something to manage at home.
What to Do First If Your Jaw Is Stuck Open
If your jaw is stuck open and you cannot close your mouth, seek urgent medical or dental care straight away, for example through your dentist if they are immediately available or through a hospital emergency department. If you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, call 000. Do not try to force or push the jaw closed yourself, because this can injure the joint and surrounding tissues.
Sydney TMJ Physiotherapy is a physiotherapy clinic and not an emergency service, so we are not the right first contact for a jaw stuck open. Physiotherapy can play a helpful role afterwards, which is covered below.
Jaw Locked Open at the Dentist
Holding the mouth wide open for a long appointment can leave the jaw sore, stiff or reluctant to move for some people. If your jaw feels stuck or will not close during or after dental treatment, tell your dental team straight away. Once any urgent issue has been dealt with, physiotherapy may help with ongoing soreness, stiffness or movement concerns.
How to release TMJ locked jaw?
The answer depends on whether your jaw is stuck open or will not open. In both cases, forcing the jaw is not recommended.
If the Jaw Is Stuck Open
A jaw stuck open needs to be assessed and repositioned by a trained medical or dental clinician. This is not something to attempt at home, and this article does not give steps for doing it. The priority is getting to urgent care promptly.
If the Jaw Will Not Open
A jaw that will not open, or opens only a little, is a different problem often called a closed lock. It still deserves an assessment and should not be forced. A physiotherapist can assess how your jaw, chewing muscles and neck are moving and advise on gentle, comfortable movement.
Jaw Locking Up on One Side
Some people notice that the jaw catches or locks mainly on one side. This can involve the joint, the chewing muscles or both. Jaw locking up on one side treatment starts with an assessment of how each side moves, and, if the jaw ever sticks open, urgent care comes first.
Will TMJ lock jaw go away?
It depends on the type of lock and its cause, and it is not possible to predict from the outside. Some episodes are dealt with promptly by a clinician, while for some people the problem comes back. Because the evidence on treatment is limited, individual assessment and follow-up matter.
Why Follow-Up Still Matters
Even after a jaw has been dealt with urgently, follow-up helps you understand what may have contributed and what to do if it happens again. For some people, very wide opening, such as big yawns, long dental appointments or large bites, may be involved. A dentist or doctor can advise on the underlying joint, and a physiotherapist can help with movement and habits.
Physiotherapy in Follow-Up Care
Once any urgent issue has been managed, physiotherapy may include education, gentle manual therapy for the jaw and neck, guided jaw movement and advice on habits that load the jaw. Care is individualised and adjusted to how your jaw responds, with a focus on long-term function and not only short-term relief.
Why can't I open my jaw in TMJ?
If your jaw will not open rather than close, the picture is different from an open lock. Restricted opening can have several causes, so an assessment is more reliable than guessing.
Possible Reasons a Jaw Will Not Open
A jaw that will not open can involve irritation or displacement inside the joint, tight or guarded chewing muscles, injury or swelling. Less commonly, infection or other medical causes are involved. These possibilities are why seeking an assessment is more helpful than trying to work out the cause yourself.
Closed Lock Jaw Treatment and Locked Jaw Treatment
Closed lock jaw treatment and locked jaw treatment in physiotherapy begin with a thorough assessment of how your jaw opens and closes. From there, your physiotherapist builds a plan that may include education, manual therapy, guided jaw exercises and habit advice, working alongside your dentist or doctor where needed.
When to Seek Urgent Care
Seek urgent medical or dental care if your jaw is stuck open or cannot close, if jaw problems follow an injury, or if they come with fever, facial swelling, signs of infection, or difficulty swallowing or breathing.
Open Lock and Closed Lock: Key Differences
People often use “locked jaw” for both situations, but they are different problems. In an open lock the jaw is stuck open and cannot close, and this needs urgent care. In a closed lock the jaw has limited opening, and this needs assessment. Both are best checked by a health professional rather than managed by trial and error.
Common Myths About a Jaw Stuck Open
Myth: You can pop a stuck jaw back yourself
Myth: Pushing or pulling the jaw at home will put it back.
What the evidence supports: Acute dislocations are repositioned by a clinician, and the guideline stresses prompt, appropriate treatment to avoid permanent damage to the joint.
Myth: Physiotherapy is who to call first for a jaw stuck open
Myth: A physiotherapist can deal with a jaw stuck open.
What applies in practice: A jaw stuck open needs urgent medical or dental care. Physiotherapy can help in follow-up care with movement, comfort and habits.
Myth: Open lock and closed lock are the same thing
Myth: Any locked jaw is managed the same way.
What applies in practice: An open lock means the jaw cannot close and needs urgent care. A closed lock means limited opening and needs assessment.
Myth: If it settles, there is no need to get it checked
Myth: Once the jaw is back to normal, nothing more is needed.
What applies in practice: Follow-up helps you understand what may have contributed and what to do if it happens again.
Jaw-Friendly Habits After an Episode
These general habits are low risk and may reduce strain on the jaw. Follow any advice your dentist or doctor gives you first:
Keep your lips together and teeth slightly apart when resting
Avoid very wide yawning, large bites and chewing gum
Choose softer foods cut into small pieces while the jaw is sore
Notice clenching, nail biting and tension through the day
Move your jaw only within a comfortable range and never force it
Tell your dentist if you have had jaw locking before long appointments
Jaw Physiotherapy in Balmain, Sydney
At Sydney TMJ Physiotherapy in Balmain, our physiotherapists take an individualised, goal-oriented approach to jaw pain, stiffness and movement problems. Once any urgent issue has been dealt with, care starts with a thorough assessment and may include education, manual therapy, guided jaw exercises and habit advice, with a focus on long-term function.
If your jaw has locked, clicked or felt stuck, you are welcome to book an appointment so we can talk through your symptoms and options. We can work alongside your dentist or doctor where that helps.
📅 Book a jaw pain physiotherapy session with Sydney TMJ Physiotherapy in Balmain and get a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
References
Prechel, U., Ottl, P., Ahlers, O. M., & Neff, A. (2018). The treatment of temporomandibular joint dislocation. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 115(5), 59-64. https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2018.0059 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5817180/
Comments