TMJ Treatment - Washington, DC
TMJ Dentistry Specialists
Treating Jaw Pain, Migraines, or a Misaligned jaw Due to TMJ Disorder with Trigger Point Injections and Delivering High Success Rate Care
TMJ and TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) refer to pain caused by jaw misalignment, often due to skewed teeth or incorrect dental work. If untreated, this misalignment can lead to chronic or acute jaw pain.
Your pain may be centered in your jaw or felt elsewhere, such as in your temples, mimicking migraines. Other symptoms might include tooth pain, ear stuffiness, or double vision.
Dr. Gerald Marlin, who wrote his master’s thesis on TMJ therapy and trained under pain expert Dr. Janet Travell, has successfully treated thousands of patients, relieving their TMJ pain and restoring their quality of life.
If you suspect TMJ dysfunction, Dr. Marlin can offer customized treatments to relieve pain, correct bite issues, and restore comfort.
Expert Precision in Dental Implants: 3,600 Restorations with Natural Results and Long-Term Success
We provide ideally positioned dental implants (see Precision Implant Placement) in reconstructed bone (see Bone Grafting) that are restored with optimum “emergence profile” abutments and “Simply Radiant, Simply Natural” crowns fabricated in our In-house Laboratory, which will make your feel and look reinvigorated!
Implant surgeries with crowns and same-day implant therapy are highly sophisticated services that we perform with meticulous care and precision. 3,600 implants have been surgically inserted and restored, and our patients have experienced almost no bone loss over a 20-year span.
Why Choose Elite Prosthetic Dentistry?
- Experienced team: Gerald M. Marlin, D.M.D., M.S.D, and his “Dream Team” of very experienced assistants and technicians working under his proven, strict treatment regimen deliver unmatched implant restoration therapy with one of the highest success rates with implants that are at least 20 years old.
- Attention to Detail: From precise tooth extraction and Bone Grafting to ideally positioned dental implants in solid bone during Precision Implant Placement) and ending with the insertion of optimal abutments and crowns with ideal emergence profile
- Experts in Smile Makeovers: With our own In-house Dental Laboratory, Elite is renowned for delivering “simply radiant, simply natural” smile makeovers.
Why Choose Dr Gerald Marlin?
- Voted Top Dentist 20 years in a Row by other dentists
- Dr. Gerald Marlin is a leading specialist in implant, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry.
- Works closely with his in-house technician to achieve custom aesthetics and a very precise fit.
- Provides crowns lasting over 35 years (national average approximately 10 years)
- Over 3,600 surgically inserted and restored dental implants.
Delivering High TMJ Success Rates with Trigger Point Injections and Trigger Point Massage Therapy
Dr. Marlin was personally trained on Trigger Point Injection therapy by Janet Travell, MD, one of the world’s foremost experts in trigger point injection and massage therapy.
Dr. Marlin only provides this therapy after a thorough diagnostic workup, adjustment of your bite, replacement of defective restorations causing the pain, and first administering massage (shiatsu) therapy and spray and stretch. In very severe cases, Dr. Marlin uses trigger point injection therapy while performing these other therapies to help you manage your acute pain.
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are minute areas of hyperirritability (see illustration showing referred pain areas from one of the many jaw muscles). These microscopic trigger points result from hypercontraction of the muscle fibers that prevent nutrition from coming in and waste from being eliminated. This, in turn, can result in extreme irritation and pain.
How does Trigger point massage therapy work?
Trigger point massage therapy and injection are intended to release the chemical imbalance of the muscles, which often eliminates the pain.
If you have unresolved pain and/or other symptoms, as discussed above, Dr. Gerald Marlin can help. Once he has analyzed the problem, Dr. Marlin will be able to customize a solution that corrects your bite and restores any jaw misalignment. When necessary, he provides massage or injection therapy of the trigger points in the muscles of the jaw.
If you think TMD may cause your pain, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Marlin today. Call us at 202-244-2101. We treat TMD/TMJ patients from throughout the Washington D.C. area, including Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Rockville, and Potomac, Maryland, as well as Northern Virginia and outlying areas and abroad.
Custom Night Guards for Bruxism and TMJ Relief
Bruxism (tooth grinding) is a major risk factor for TMJ dysfunction, often showing signs like uneven tooth wear or recessed gums, detectable during your exam with Dr. Marlin. If you’re a grinder, an occlusal guard may help. Worn at night, it prevents grinding and gently aligns your jaw, retraining muscles and easing TMJ symptoms over time. A custom-fit night guard, made from an impression of your teeth, can significantly reduce headaches, chewing difficulties, and other pain related to jaw misalignment.