How long do jaw exercises take to work?

You have started doing jaw exercises, maybe from a physiotherapist's handout or a video, and a week in your jaw still aches when you chew. It is easy to wonder whether you are doing them wrong or whether they work at all.

That doubt is very common in the early weeks. This article walks through how long the clinical trials ran, when the first changes tend to appear, and what to do if your jaw is not responding.

Key takeaways

Jaw exercises usually take weeks to show a clear effect. In one trial, people with sore jaw muscles who followed self-management advice, with or without exercises, had measurable improvement by the first check at two weeks (De Nordenflycht et al., 2024). Most exercise studies judge their results after eight weeks to three months. A 2023 review of 16 trials found exercise reduced pain and improved mouth opening (Idáñez-Robles et al., 2023).

• My rule of thumb as a physiotherapist is to give a programme six to eight weeks of regular practice before you decide whether it helps.
• Several short sessions a day were typical in the trials, and in my experience steady practice matters more than intensity.
• If nothing changes, or symptoms get worse, have your jaw assessed and ask for supervised exercise.

How long did the jaw exercise studies run?

Most of the trials below ran for eight weeks to three months. In a Japanese trial of 52 people whose jaw joint disc had slipped forward and stopped them opening fully, both groups improved after eight weeks, and mouth opening increased more with self-exercises than with a splint (Haketa et al., 2010). A Swedish trial of 97 people with jaw muscle pain measured results after three months: pain during jaw movement fell more with jaw exercises than with no treatment, and the exercise group also had fewer headaches and took fewer painkillers; results were similar to a splint (Lindfors et al., 2020).

An Italian trial with 70 people compared education alone against education plus a home exercise programme over three months. Success rates were 57% and 77%, a difference that was not statistically significant, and the authors described the combination as slightly more effective (Michelotti et al., 2004). For bothersome clicking, a Swedish trial of 90 people checked people after three months and found that about half reported less noise from the joint, whether they had a splint, home exercises or supervised exercise (Wänman and Marklund, 2020). If clicking is your main issue, our page on jaw clicking covers it in more depth.

When will you notice the first changes?

You will often notice changes before a programme ends. A Chilean trial of 54 people with jaw muscle pain checked them at two, six and ten weeks. Pain, mouth opening and jaw function had all improved significantly by the two-week check, and those gains held at six and ten weeks (De Nordenflycht et al., 2024).

There is a caveat, though. In that trial, early relief came with the self-management package as a whole (advice on habits, diet, relaxation, sleep and heat or cold), and home exercises added nothing measurable within ten weeks (De Nordenflycht et al., 2024). Cleveland Clinic notes that some people with TMD feel better within a week or two, while others need ongoing care (Cleveland Clinic, 2025).

How strong is the evidence that jaw exercises help?

It is promising but far from perfect. The 2023 meta-analysis of 16 randomised trials with 812 participants found that exercise reduced pain and increased both active and assisted mouth opening, and that adding exercise to a splint worked better than a splint alone (Idáñez-Robles et al., 2023). An earlier review of six trials found moderate short-term benefits for pain and range of motion, with more varied results in the long term and no significant gain in everyday jaw function (Dickerson et al., 2017).

A larger review of 48 trials in Physical Therapy rated the overall evidence as low, mostly because many studies had a high or unclear risk of bias. It found mostly small to moderate effects, and manual therapy alone or combined with jaw or neck exercises looked promising (Armijo-Olivo et al., 2016). In practice, that means exercises are a reasonable first step, but they work best as part of a wider plan.

How often should you do your jaw exercises?

Most people need to practise more often than they expect, in small doses. A 2023 systematic review looked at which exercise types helped painful TMD. In the trials where coordination exercises (slow, controlled opening and closing in a straight line) reduced pain, people practised for 10 to 45 minutes or 10 repetitions at a time, at least three times a day, for one to three months. The trials that improved mouth opening ran for three to four months (Shimada et al., 2023).

In my own work as a physiotherapist I would rather see someone do two minutes, three times a day, than twenty minutes once a week. Linking the exercises to things you already do, such as brushing your teeth or making coffee, makes them far easier to keep up. The Swedish clicking trial is a good reminder here, since dropout was highest among people doing exercises alone at home (Wänman and Marklund, 2020).

Try it: a simple four-week check-in

Before I change anyone's programme, I ask them to track a few things. You can do the same at home.

1. On day one, rate your typical jaw pain from 0 to 10 and note which everyday task bothers you most, such as chewing a sandwich or yawning.
2. Open your mouth as wide as feels comfortable and check how many of your own fingers, stacked flat, fit between your front teeth. Write it down.
3. Do your exercises at the same times each day and tick off every session you complete.
4. Repeat the pain score and the finger test once a week, on the same day and at a similar time.
5. After four weeks, look at the trend rather than single days, since a bad day after a stressful week is normal.

If your score is slowly falling, or the difficult task is getting easier, things are moving in the right direction and it is worth continuing. If your ticks show you only managed a few sessions, consistency is the first thing to fix.

Why are my jaw exercises not working?

The most common reason I see is that the exercises have not been done regularly for long enough. The second is that the exercise does not suit the problem. A stiff, locked jaw, sore chewing muscles and painful clicking respond differently, and a generic stretch can miss the point.

A Belgian trial of 49 people with a locked jaw adds another angle. Pain and jaw function improved in both groups over the year, but nine physiotherapy sessions over six weeks added nothing beyond advice on avoiding clenching and other oral habits (Craane et al., 2012). Some jaw problems settle with time and good habits whatever exercise you do, and the NHS notes that TMD usually gets better without treatment (NHS, 2023). For a broader view of the natural timeline, read how long TMJ lasts.

My rule of thumb is that if six to eight weeks of steady practice have changed nothing, it is time to get assessed. For pain lasting three months or more, an international guideline in The BMJ strongly recommends supervised jaw exercise and stretching, therapist-assisted mobilisation and cognitive behavioural therapy, and makes a conditional recommendation against reversible splints (Busse et al., 2023).

What should you do if exercises make your jaw hurt more?

In my practice, people often notice their jaw muscles a little after a new exercise, much like any muscle you start using differently. Sharp pain, a jaw that locks or pain that keeps rising over several days are signs to scale back and get it checked. A flare-up after a stressful week, a long dental appointment or a night of clenching does not mean your progress is lost.

In the moment

Drop to the gentlest version of your exercises, shorten the range and reduce repetitions rather than stopping completely. The NHS suggests soft food, a wrapped ice pack or heat pack, massaging the sore muscles and keeping your teeth apart except when eating (NHS, 2023).

In the long term

Return to your usual programme once the flare settles, and note what set it off. NIDCR describes gentle stretching and strengthening exercises as part of the first, simple steps for TMD, together with reducing habits like jaw clenching and gum chewing (NIDCR, 2026). For a set of exercises to work from, see our TMJ exercises page.

How JawBuddy helps

JawBuddy is a digital companion for guided jaw exercises and self-management.

JawBuddy Therapy includes more than 300 exercises and has micro programmes for acute complaints such as jaw clicking. It does not replace emergency care or an individual diagnosis from a qualified healthcare professional.

When should you see a doctor?

Call emergency services (911 in the US, 999 in the UK) straight away if:

• Jaw pain comes with chest pain that feels tight or squeezing, or chest pain spreads to your arms, neck or jaw (NHS, 2026).
• Jaw pain comes with severe difficulty breathing or pale, blue or grey lips or skin (NHS, 2026).

Get an urgent appointment with a doctor or dentist if:

• You cannot eat or drink, your jaw is locking or you cannot open your mouth fully (NHS, 2023).
• You have frequent, severe headaches, tenderness at the side of your head or problems with your vision (NHS, 2023).
• Your symptoms started after a blow to the face. In my experience as a physiotherapist, this always needs a prompt check.

Book a routine visit with a dentist, doctor or physiotherapist if your jaw pain, clicking or stiffness does not improve (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). Stop the exercises and book a visit if they make your pain steadily worse. Clicking without pain is common and, according to NIDCR, does not need treatment (NIDCR, 2026).

Give your jaw a fair chance

Pick a small routine, do it every day for six to eight weeks and track how you feel each week. If the numbers move, keep going, and if they do not, get it checked. Our TMJ disorder guide is a good next read for the bigger picture.