If your jaw aches, clicks or pops, gets stuck, or you wake with tension headaches and a tight jaw, you may have a TMD — a temporomandibular joint disorder. At Kentfield Dental, Dr. Soroush Ghaffarpour ("Dr. G") takes an honest, conservative-first approach: many patients improve with simple, non-invasive care rather than anything drastic. We begin by identifying what's actually driving your symptoms — often grinding or clenching, bite imbalance, muscle tension, or stress — then build a stepwise plan starting with at-home self-care and, when helpful, a custom oral splint. We reserve more involved treatment for the cases that truly need it. Our goal is meaningful relief for our Marin neighbors with the least intervention possible.
What are TMJ and TMD?
TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint — the hinge on each side of your head that connects your lower jaw to your skull and lets you chew, speak, and yawn. TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder, also called "TMJ disorder") is the umbrella term for problems with that joint and the muscles around it. People often use "TMJ" loosely to mean the disorder itself.
TMD can show up in many ways: jaw pain or tenderness, clicking or popping when you open and close, a jaw that catches or won't open fully, facial or ear pain, and tension-type headaches. It's frequently tied to teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism), an unbalanced bite, muscle strain, or stress. Because the symptoms overlap with other conditions, the cause isn't always obvious. Dr. G evaluates your jaw, bite, muscles, and dental wear patterns to help pinpoint what's contributing to your discomfort and to identify issues that may need a different kind of care.
Our conservative, stepwise approach in Kentfield
Dr. G believes the best TMD care does the least necessary to get you comfortable. We start with the most conservative options and only step up if your symptoms call for it. First come at-home therapies and guidance — gentle jaw exercises, self-massage, warm or cold compresses, a soft diet, and posture and stress management, with short-term anti-inflammatory or muscle-relaxant medication where appropriate. If grinding or bite strain is a factor, we move to a custom oral splint or occlusal night guard, designed and 3D-printed in-house in Kentfield, to help relax the jaw muscles, protect your teeth, and rebalance how your bite comes together. For complex, bite-driven cases that don't settle with these measures, full-mouth rehabilitation can help address the underlying imbalance. Throughout, Dr. G tailors the plan to your specific cause.
- Thorough evaluation of jaw, bite, muscles, and tooth-wear patterns to help find the cause
- Conservative-first: at-home exercises, self-massage, compresses, soft diet, and stress management
- Custom oral splints / night guards designed and 3D-printed in-house in Kentfield
- Digital intraoral scanning (3Shape) for a precise, putty-free splint fit
- Full-mouth rehabilitation reserved for complex, bite-driven cases
- Spanish-speaking care and a calm, boutique setting for anxious Marin patients
Why patients choose us for this
Conservative-first philosophy
We start with the least invasive options and step up only if needed — many patients improve without anything drastic.
Care aimed at the cause
Dr. G works to identify what's actually driving your symptoms, so the plan addresses the source rather than just masking the discomfort.
Relief for jaw pain and headaches
By easing muscle tension and rebalancing the bite, our approach can help reduce jaw soreness, clicking, facial pain, and tension-type headaches.
Custom splints made in-house
When a guard is the right step, we design and 3D-print it on-site in Kentfield — a precise, comfortable fit, often without a long lab wait.
Protects your teeth from grinding
For patients who grind or clench, a custom splint helps shield enamel, fillings, crowns, and veneers from wear and damage.
A plan tailored to you
There's no one-size TMD fix. Dr. G tailors each step to your symptoms, bite, and lifestyle, and adjusts as you improve.
What to expect
Evaluation & diagnosis
Dr. G examines your jaw, bite, muscles, and tooth wear, and asks about your symptoms, habits, and stress to help identify what's driving the problem.
Conservative self-care first
We start with the least invasive steps — gentle jaw exercises, self-massage, warm/cold compresses, a soft diet, posture and stress guidance, and short-term medication where appropriate.
Custom splint if needed
If grinding or bite strain is a factor, we design and 3D-print a custom oral splint in-house to help relax the muscles, protect your teeth, and rebalance your bite.
Advanced care for complex cases
For the few cases driven by a deeper bite imbalance, Dr. G may recommend full-mouth rehabilitation — reserved for when conservative steps aren't enough.
Is TMJ/TMD treatment right for you?
TMD symptoms range from mildly annoying to genuinely disruptive, and many people live with them for years before seeking help. The good news is that conservative care helps many patients. If any of the signs below sound familiar, it's worth having Dr. G take a look. He'll examine your jaw, bite, and muscles, ask about your habits and stress, and recommend the most conservative plan likely to bring relief — and refer you for additional evaluation if your symptoms point to something beyond a dental cause.
- You have jaw pain, tenderness, or tightness, especially when chewing or waking
- Your jaw clicks, pops, catches, or won't open as wide as it used to
- You get frequent tension headaches, facial pain, or ear pain with no clear cause
- You grind or clench your teeth (bruxism), or a partner has noticed it
- You notice worn, flattened, or chipped teeth from grinding
- Stress, posture, or muscle tension seem to make your jaw symptoms worse
Frequently asked questions
TMJ is the temporomandibular joint — the hinge connecting your lower jaw to your skull. TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) is the actual problem with that joint and the surrounding muscles. People often say "TMJ" when they really mean the disorder, TMD.
Often, no. At Kentfield Dental we take a conservative, stepwise approach, and many patients improve with at-home self-care and, when needed, a custom oral splint. We reserve more involved treatment for the complex, bite-driven cases that don't respond, and Dr. G will be honest with you about what your situation calls for.
A custom splint can help relax overworked jaw muscles, cushion the bite, and protect teeth from grinding, which often eases jaw soreness, clicking, and tension headaches. We design and 3D-print these guards in-house in Kentfield for a precise, comfortable fit. Jaw pain has many causes, so Dr. G will confirm whether a splint is the right step for you.
Occasional, painless clicking is common and isn't always a problem. But if the clicking comes with pain, limited opening, locking, or headaches, it's worth having Dr. G evaluate your jaw. Catching TMD early often means simpler, more conservative treatment.
Yes — grinding and clenching (bruxism) are among the most common contributors to TMD, straining the jaw muscles and joint. Many of our TMD patients also grind, which is why a custom night guard is frequently part of the plan. Dr. G evaluates your wear patterns to see how much of a role grinding is playing.
It depends on what's driving your symptoms. After Dr. G evaluates your jaw and bite, we'll walk you through a stepwise plan — typically starting with conservative self-care and, when needed, a custom splint. Kentfield Dental is a fee-for-service practice, and we're glad to discuss your specifics and any out-of-network insurance benefits. Please call us at (415) 456-5402.
Jaw symptoms and nighttime grinding sometimes overlap with sleep concerns, but obstructive sleep apnea must be diagnosed by a physician through a sleep study. If appropriate, Dr. G can provide a custom oral appliance in coordination with your physician. For TMD specifically, our focus is conservative jaw and bite care.