The human jaw has two parts: the maxilla and the mandible. The maxilla, or upper jaw, holds your top teeth and supports your nose and eyes. The mandible, or lower jaw, holds your bottom teeth, provides facial structure and connects to your skull via the temporomandibular joint. A circular piece of soft cartilage acts as a cushion between the mandible and the skull at these two points. Exercises can be focused to both parts of the jaw to stretch and increase mobility.
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This exercise stretches the jaw and increases opening. With your jaw relaxed, open your mouth with assisted opening as far as you can without pain. Assisted opening is a technique in which you place your fingers or knuckles in your mouth to help you open farther. Hold your mouth open in this position for seven seconds. Close your mouth and repeat this seven times. Repeat this exercise seven times per day. The Oral Cancer Foundation reports that gains of 10mm in opening are a result of patients continuing this exercise for six to 10 weeks.
Side-to-Side Movement
Your mandible is connected at two points. This exercise isolates these two points in side-to-side movement. Begin with your jaw at rest and your teeth separated slightly. Move your jaw to the right as far as you can but not so far that you feel pain. Hold this position for five seconds. Bring your jaw back to the resting position, then move it all the way to the left. Hold this position for five seconds. Repeat this exercise five times.
Circular Movement
The circular movement exercise focuses on stretching your jaw while it's in constant motion at the same speed. There are no holds or sudden movements. With your jaw resting, move your mandible in a clockwise rotation as far out as you can without experiencing pain. Follow this motion around slowly until you're back at the resting position. Repeat this exercise five times. The University of Louisiana reports that this exercise increases the range of movement in your jaw.
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