TMJ & Jaw Pain Screening in Shelby Township
TMD (temporomandibular disorder) is a problem with the jaw joints, the muscles that move the jaw, or both. At Fredal Orthodontics in Shelby Township, orthodontic specialist Dr. Thomas Fredal Jr. screens for TMD at the consultation.
If you have active or concerning TMD symptoms, orthodontic treatment waits. A qualified specialist must first evaluate and clear you.
*For new patients only. Patients transferring from another orthodontist: $250 consultation fee, credited toward treatment if they start here.
What TMJ and TMD Mean
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull. You have one on each side, just in front of each ear.
In everyday speech, many people use "TMJ" for the disorder as well as for the joint.
The TMD Screening at Your Consultation
Dr. Fredal personally conducts every consultation at Fredal Orthodontics. As part of it, he screens your bite (how your upper and lower teeth meet), your jaw joints and your jaw muscles for TMD. This screening is the only TMD service the practice provides.
If you have active or concerning symptoms, Dr. Fredal refers you to a qualified specialist. Examples are an orofacial pain specialist (a dentist who treats pain in the jaw and face) and an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (a surgeon of the mouth, jaws and face).
Every new-patient consultation also includes a CBCT scan (a 3D X-ray scan) on the practice’s i-CAT FLX V17. The visit takes 50 minutes, including 20 minutes with Dr. Fredal.
TMJ Symptoms Dr. Fredal Screens For
Braces, Invisalign and TMD
How Fredal Orthodontics Handles TMD
At Fredal Orthodontics, patients with active or concerning temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms are not started in orthodontic treatment until they have been appropriately evaluated and cleared by a qualified specialist. Braces and Invisalign are not recommended or represented as treatments or “cures” for TMD.
The process begins with a comprehensive orthodontic consultation. Dr. Fredal evaluates the bite and jaw relationship and screens for symptoms such as persistent jaw or facial pain, limited jaw movement, significant joint tenderness or sounds, locking, or other concerning findings.
When appropriate, orthodontic treatment is deferred and the patient is referred to an orofacial pain specialist, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Abigail Schmidt, DDS, MS, or the appropriate TMD and orofacial pain service at the University of Michigan. Specialist evaluation and clearance are recommended before elective orthodontic treatment begins.
This approach reflects the current scientific understanding of TMD. TMD is multifactorial, and current evidence does not establish a simple cause-and-effect relationship between a patient’s bite and TMD. There is also no convincing evidence that braces, Invisalign, or orthodontic correction of the bite can cure TMD. For this reason, Fredal Orthodontics treats TMD and orthodontic problems as separate conditions requiring appropriate evaluation.
Once a patient has been evaluated and cleared, orthodontic treatment may proceed when independently indicated to correct tooth position, bite, or jaw relationships. Improvement or resolution of pre-existing TMD symptoms cannot be predicted or guaranteed as a result of orthodontic treatment.
What Fredal Orthodontics Does Not Promise
Fredal Orthodontics does not promise that TMD symptoms will improve. Further diagnosis and management of TMD happen with the qualified specialist you are referred to.
Teeth Grinding and Night Guards
Bruxism means clenching or grinding your teeth. If you grind or clench and have jaw symptoms, the care Fredal Orthodontics provides is the TMD screening of your bite, jaw joints and jaw muscles at the consultation.
The practice does not make splints for TMJ or mouth guards, including night guards, and it does not offer splint therapy for TMJ or for bruxism. What it offers instead is a referral to a qualified specialist when your symptoms are active or concerning.
Frequently Asked Questions About TMJ
Does Fredal Orthodontics treat TMJ disorders?
No. The only TMD service Fredal Orthodontics provides is a screening of your bite, jaw joints and jaw muscles at the consultation. Dr. Fredal refers you on to a qualified specialist when your symptoms are active or concerning. Orthodontic treatment then waits until that specialist has evaluated and cleared you.
Will braces or Invisalign fix my TMJ?
Braces and Invisalign are not recommended or represented as treatments or “cures” for TMD, and Fredal Orthodontics does not promise that TMD symptoms will improve. Once a specialist has cleared you, orthodontic treatment may go ahead when it is independently indicated. That means it is needed for its own reasons: to correct tooth position, the bite or how the jaws relate.
Will Dr. Fredal screen my jaw even if it does not hurt?
Yes. Screening the bite, jaw joints and jaw muscles for TMD is part of every consultation at Fredal Orthodontics, not something you have to ask for. Dr. Fredal conducts every consultation himself. At a new-patient consultation he also goes through your records with you, and they include a 3D CBCT scan (a 3D X-ray).
Does Fredal Orthodontics make night guards or jaw splints?
No. Night guards, other mouth guards and splints for the jaw joint are not part of the practice, and splint therapy for TMJ or for bruxism (clenching or grinding the teeth) is not offered either. Care for TMD itself belongs with the specialist you are referred to.
Is there a fee for TMD screening?
The screening itself has no fee. It is part of the consultation, which is free for new patients. Patients transferring from another orthodontist pay a $250 consultation fee, credited toward treatment if they start here. A second opinion on treatment elsewhere is free. So is a return visit before you start treatment, unless you missed a consultation as a no-show; then it costs $100.
Does Fredal Orthodontics offer TMJ surgery?
No. When TMJ surgery is part of a patient’s care, Fredal Orthodontics coordinates it with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, who performs it. The practice coordinates corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery, which moves the jaws into a new position) with an oral surgeon in the same way.
Other Conditions
Schedule a Consultation and TMD Screening
Your consultation includes a bite screening, a muscle and joint screening, CBCT imaging of both joints when indicated, and a review of your records with Dr. Fredal. It is free for new patients.
If you go ahead with orthodontic treatment, your fee does not change with how long treatment takes. Community discounts take $250 off the part you pay after insurance. They are for military members and veterans, teachers and school staff, and first responders. Healthcare workers, students and additional family members in treatment get one too. Each patient can use one.
*For new patients only. Patients transferring from another orthodontist: $250 consultation fee, credited toward treatment if they start here.