Conditions We Treat
Facial & Orofacial Pain
Facial pain can affect nearly every part of your day. Whether you're experiencing jaw pain, muscle tension, headaches, tooth sensitivity, or discomfort while chewing, the underlying cause isn't always obvious. At Advanced Dentistry and Aesthetics, we take a comprehensive, functional approach to diagnosing facial and orofacial pain by evaluating how your teeth, jaw joints, muscles, bite, neck and airway work together. Our goal is to identify the source of your discomfort and develop a personalized treatment plan that provides lasting relief.
Understanding the Source of Facial Pain
Facial pain can originate from several different structures, which is why an accurate diagnosis is so important. While some patients have pain caused by damaged teeth or gum disease, others experience symptoms related to TMJ dysfunction, muscle strain, airway issues, or chronic teeth grinding. During your evaluation, Dr. Peterson carefully assesses:
- Bite alignment and tooth wear
- Jaw joint (TMJ) function
- Muscle tension and trigger points in the head, neck and shoulders
- Teeth grinding and clenching habits
- Dental health
- Airway health and sleep-disordered breathing
- Signs of nerve irritation or referred pain
If your symptoms suggest another medical condition, we'll coordinate care with your physician, ENT, neurologist, or other specialists to ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment.
Common Symptoms We Treat
Orofacial pain affects everyone differently, but common symptoms include:
- Jaw pain or stiffness
- Clicking or popping in the jaw
- Chronic headaches or migraines
- Facial muscle soreness
- Pain while chewing
- Morning jaw fatigue
- Teeth grinding and clenching
- Tooth pain without an obvious dental cause
- Neck, shoulder or facial muscle tension
Because many of these symptoms overlap, a comprehensive evaluation is the best way to determine what's contributing to your discomfort.
Personalized Treatment Options
Every treatment plan is designed around your diagnosis and long-term goals. Depending on the cause of your pain, we may recommend:
- Custom bite appliances and occlusal splints
- Adult Dental Mandibular Advancement therapy to improve airway function and jaw position
- Bite adjustments to improve balance and reduce excessive muscle strain
- Botox® therapy to relax overactive jaw muscles
- NightLase® laser therapy for patients whose airway contributes to poor sleep and facial muscle fatigue
- Restorative dentistry to rebuild worn or unstable bites
- Jaw expansion with miniscrew assisted custom 3-D printed appliance, (MARPE, MASPE, MAPE,) that increase tongue space and nasal breathing.
- Dry Needling and LASER therapies.
- Collaboration with physical therapists, ENTs, myofunctional therapists, or sleep physicians when additional care is beneficial
Rather than masking symptoms, our goal is to restore healthy function throughout the entire oral and facial system.
Advanced Diagnosis for Better Results
Successful treatment begins with understanding exactly what's causing your pain. During your visit, we'll review your medical and dental history, evaluate your bite and jaw function, assess muscle activity, and use advanced imaging when appropriate. By taking a comprehensive approach, we can identify problems that are often overlooked and develop a treatment plan that's both conservative and effective.
A Functional Approach to Lasting Relief
At Advanced Dentistry and Aesthetics, we believe facial pain is rarely caused by a single issue. That's why Dr. Peterson looks at the complete picture, including your bite, jaw joints, muscles, airway, and overall oral health, before recommending treatment. This whole-health approach allows us to improve not only facial comfort but also chewing, sleep quality, jaw function, and overall quality of life.
Ready to Find Relief?
If facial or orofacial pain is interfering with your daily activities, don't wait for it to become chronic. Schedule a consultation with Advanced Dentistry and Aesthetics to discover the underlying cause of your symptoms and explore personalized treatment options designed to restore comfort, function, and confidence.