Who We Are
Here at www.susanshopefortmjd.org, we are driven by a single goal; to help those who suffer from TMJD and to educate those who do not understand that this disorder is not something that those effected by it choose to have. Our jaw joints should be covered by all medical insurance and every state
Mark Twain
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see”
Contact www.susanshopefortmjd.org
Get in touch with www.susanshopefortmjd.org to learn more about our work and how you can get involved.
About Us
Behind the Scenes
Susan's Hope for TMJD
Was started in 2015 and became a 501C3 organization in 2016 after realizing that there was literally NO help for those of us that suffer with this ongoing debilitating disorder in RI. In the US alone there are over 35 million people or 12% of the population that suffer from a form of TMJD, commonly known as “lock jaw” (TemporalMandibleJoint Disorder). Not all need to have it surgically dealt with but those that do know that they have a very long road to travel and not always with the best outcome. Some startling statistics about the disorder: there are 12 states with some form of coverage, 80% of the people with TMJD are female and only 20% are male. Why you ask, it has a lot to do with our physical make up, stress on the body, starts at the pre puberty stages in life and continues through the teen years when wisdom teeth are taken out. Females do now have the same opening as a male for their mouth and many of times the jaw needs to be pulled or dislocated to get to the bottom impacted teeth. By that time the damage is done. By the time adulthood is here the joints have been hurt so bad that most DDS tell you to get used to eating a soft diet from now on, don’t continue to chew gum, or even hard bread ( there goes a staple in most peoples’ lives). Can you survive a day living on just liquids, baby food, or anything that you don’t have to chew….it really is easier said than done.
Do you know that the 2 joints of your jaw take care of so many things: laughing, talking, breathing, chewing, kissing, smiling, yawning, sneezing and even swallowing. Could you imagine have a mouth only open to the size of a pen cap (3mm’s) when a normal opening is 40mm’s = 3 fingers. These are things that we deal with on a daily basis along with depression, sadness, loss of friends, and chronic pain. Want more info on TMJD: check out and like our FaceBook page: Susan’s Hope for TMJD, or become a part of our Annual Benefit!! ~ Susan Jutras~ Founder