Learning from Professor Mariano Rocabado: What a Pioneer of Jaw Care Taught Me
In October 2019 I began a two-part course with Professor Mariano Rocabado: the first week at Vienna Medical University, and the second in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It was an in-depth program covering the anatomy and biomechanics of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the cervical spine and the occiput, and the disorders that affect this region. It has shaped how we assess and treat jaw problems at Bangalow Headache Neck & Jaw Clinic.
Who is Mariano Rocabado?
Professor Rocabado is widely regarded as a leading authority on treating TMD/TMJ disorders from a craniocervical perspective. A physiotherapist by training, he is a doctor of physical therapy and dean of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences at Universidad Andrés Bello in Santiago, Chile, and a full professor at the University of Chile. He founded and directs the Rocabado Institute for Biomedical and Health Sciences.
His career spans decades. Early on he trained in spinal specialisation in France and served on the executive committee of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. He is an honorary member of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain, and a founding member and past president of the Chilean Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders and Facial Pain. He also co-founded the Iberian Latin American Academy of Head, Neck and Facial Pain.
His contribution: the jaw doesn’t work alone
Rocabado’s central contribution is a way of thinking. The jaw, the upper neck and the skull work as one functional unit, so jaw pain, neck pain and headaches are often connected. Treating the jaw in isolation can miss the cause.
He has written widely on head and neck biomechanics and pain, including the text Cabeza y Cuello: Tratamiento Articular, and has contributed to the global understanding of exercise therapy for vertebral and craniomandibular disorders. Among clinicians he is especially known for the “Rocabado 6×6” exercises, a structured home program that helps patients retrain posture, jaw movement and muscle control.
Just as importantly, he has taught this work to physiotherapists and dentists around the world, helping establish the genuine role physiotherapy can play in managing jaw disorders alongside dental care.
What I brought home
The course treated the jaw, upper neck and base of the skull as one system. Across the two weeks we studied the detailed anatomy and biomechanics of the TMJ, the cervical spine and the occiput, and how a problem in one part can show up in the others.
One of the most practical areas was jaw splint design. We looked at how a splint’s design and use can influence the movement of the joints (osteo-kinematics) and the three-way relationship between the cervical spine, the occiput and the TMJ, including the alignment of the teeth. A splint is never just a device for the teeth. It affects the neck and skull too, which is why careful assessment of the whole region matters.
What this means for you
If you have jaw pain, clicking or locking, teeth grinding, or headaches that seem tied to your neck or jaw, a careful assessment of the whole region can make a real difference. Our approach is drug-free and manipulation-free, and focuses on the underlying cause rather than only the symptoms.
To book an assessment at 72 Byron Street, Bangalow, call 0475 757 510 or email hello@bangalowheadacheclinic.com.au.
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