I constantly see craniosacral fascial TMJ injuries in newborns that develop into all kinds of breastfeeding and other difficulties. I feel that all newborn providers need to understand these principles and apply them in their clinical practices.
The fascia in the muscles of mastication can be strained by not allowing the infant to open fully for a deep latch to reach the soft palate or close correctly without pain. Often, this is overlooked while the infant undergoes needless tongue-tie and/or lip-tie surgeries.
In virtually every baby, the left TMJ will be more strained than the right TMJ. My hypothesis is that, in a normal vaginal delivery, when the face is passing by the sacrum, the left side is more exposed to trauma.
At the same time, the coccyx needs to extend or become flattened to allow the face to normally pass through. Because some women have had coccygeal trauma in the past, their coccyx may have become stuck and not able to flatten.
Thus, the face can be traumatized by this immovable object, creating a unilateral or bilateral TMJ issue. I first discovered this in the Lancaster research in 2006–2012 and believe all birth providers need to understand this important concept.
