Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ) and Facial Pain Syndrome are disorders of the jaw and facial muscles.  These disorders can cause head and neck pain,jaw locking, difficulty opening,difficulty chewing and popping or clicking during chewing.

Causes can be trauma (injury,sports  injury, whiplash), stress related Bruxism (grinding), Clenching, and possibly Osteo or Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Treatment varies depending on the severity of the condition.  It may include dietary changes, wet heat, exercises,cold laser therapy, stress reduction and possibly combined with muscle relaxors or Botox.

Many patients require custom made bite splints or guards which act to reduce the muscle tension and spasm by relaxing the jaw muscles. In some of these patients, modification(grinding) of the teeth is necessary to correct the bite.

Some trauma cases require oral surgery to repair tears or stretching in the joints themselves.

We plan the treatment of each case based on the patients needs and condition, and treatment and treatment time will vary.