Non-Surgical. Evidence-Based. Built Around You.
San Jose's TMJ specialists offering a personalized path to jaw relief. No surgery. No guesswork.
As a TMJ specialist practice in San Jose, we see temporomandibular disorders that present differently in every patient. For some, the primary driver is an unbalanced bite. For others, it's airway obstruction, muscle tension, sleep disorders, or postural misalignment. Often it is a combination of all of these working against the joint at once.
At Phelps & Cohen, we don't assign a treatment before we understand the problem. Every patient starts with advanced diagnostics. From there, we build a phased, evidence-based treatment plan calibrated to what's actually causing your symptoms, not just masking them.
The goal is always the same: lasting relief, without surgery, from a team that understands the full picture.
Most of our TMD patients have already been to their dentist, their GP, even a neurologist. The missing piece is usually the jaw-airway connection. That's exactly where we start.
Dr. Eric Phelps, Phelps & Cohen Orthodontics
You don't need a formal TMJ diagnosis to come in. If you've been living with any of the following, it's worth a conversation. Many of these symptoms trace directly back to the jaw.
Each approach below may be used independently or in combination, depending on your diagnosis and the phase of your care plan.
A custom-fitted oral appliance repositions the jaw, decompresses the TMJ, and reduces strain on the surrounding musculature. Orthotics are worn part-time or full-time based on your diagnosis and are often the first step in achieving joint stabilization and symptom relief.
Photobiomodulation therapy uses targeted light energy to reduce inflammation in the joint and surrounding soft tissue, accelerate cellular repair, and relieve muscle spasm. It's painless, non-invasive, and often provides measurable relief within the first few sessions.
Chronic TMD is often perpetuated by poor oral resting posture. The tongue, lip, and jaw muscles that have adapted to dysfunction over years. Myofunctional therapy retrains these muscles, improves nasal breathing patterns, and removes the chronic strain placed on the joint during rest and sleep.
When airway restriction is contributing to TMD, we coordinate directly with ENT physicians and sleep specialists to address obstruction at the source. A restricted airway forces the jaw into chronic compensatory strain. Resolving this is often the key to sustainable, long-term relief.
The TMJ does not exist in isolation. Cervical alignment, shoulder tension, and posture all affect joint loading. We refer to physical therapists who understand the jaw-neck relationship and can address musculoskeletal contributions that extend beyond the mouth.
The overwhelming majority of our patients achieve lasting relief without surgery. In rare cases involving significant structural damage or joint degeneration, we coordinate with trusted oral and maxillofacial surgeons to determine whether surgical intervention is appropriate and guide you through that process.
We don't start treatment until we understand exactly what we're treating. Here's how the process typically unfolds.
Your initial evaluation includes a thorough clinical examination alongside advanced imaging and functional testing, CBCT, Joint Vibration Analysis, pharyngometry, rhinometry, and when indicated, a sleep study. Together these give us a complete picture of joint health, airway function, and muscle balance before any treatment is recommended.
The first phase of treatment focuses on reducing acute inflammation, relieving joint compression, and interrupting the pain-tension cycle. This typically involves an oral orthotic and may include laser therapy. The goal is to create a stable, decompressed baseline so we can accurately assess what further treatment is needed.
Once the joint is stable, we address the root causes: airway restriction,, muscle imbalance, and postural issues. This phase often involves coordination with our collaborative network and may include orthodontic treatment to finalize bite position and maintain the corrected jaw relationship long-term.
Every case is different, but here's a general sense of how care progresses.
Clinical exam, detailed intake, and diagnostic records. You'll leave with a clear picture of what's happening and what we recommend.
Your custom orthotic is fabricated and calibrated. Most patients notice a meaningful reduction in symptoms within the first few weeks.
Regular check-ins to monitor joint response, adjust the orthotic, and layer in additional therapies as needed.
Addressing airway, muscle function, posture, and bite. These are the factors that would re-trigger symptoms without lasting correction.
TMD rarely exists in isolation. Our care model is built around collaboration. We work with specialists across disciplines to ensure every dimension of your case is understood and addressed.
This integrated approach is what separates a temporary fix from a lasting one.
If you've been living with jaw pain, headaches, or unexplained tension, a comprehensive evaluation is the first step toward lasting answers.
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