Most of my clients don’t come to me saying “I have TMJ.” They come in saying their jaw clicks when they chew. Or they wake up with headaches they can’t explain. Or their dentist mentioned they’re grinding at night. Or they feel like their face is just... tight. All the time. Then I put my hands on their jaw, and they flinch — not from pain, but from surprise. They didn’t realize how much tension was living there. That’s what I see, every week, in my treatment room in Kinnelon

I’m not anti-Botox. I want to say that upfront, because this isn’t a takedown piece. Some of my clients get Botox and buccal massage. They’re not mutually exclusive, and I don’t think anyone should feel judged for the choices they make about their own face and body. But I do think buccal massage deserves a seat at the table — and most people have never heard of it. Here’s what I see in my treatment room: clients come in with tight, clenched jaws. Puffy faces. Tension headache