Treating TMJ Like Any Other Joint: Rehab After Total TMJ Replacement

Most physical therapists will treat TMJ pain. Almost none will ever encounter a full bilateral TMJ replacement—paired with mandibular advancement and upper palate expansion. When that rare case appeared, there was no rehab playbook… so this clinician built one.

What listeners will learn:

• How TMJ replacement compares (and doesn’t) to hip and knee replacements
• Why outcomes research exists—but rehab pathways don’t
• How to apply total joint principles to a jaw joint
• What to do when surgical restrictions limit “normal” movement
• The role of nutrition, SLPs, and interdisciplinary care
• How lived experience changes clinical decision-making

Why it matters:

This episode isn’t really about TMJ—it’s about how clinicians think when evidence is thin and responsibility is high.

Guest:

Katie Berry — sports & orthopedic clinician, adjunct professor, and OMPT fellow-in-training.