Migraine
Headaches
Tension headaches
Sinus headaches
Vertigo
Shoulder/muscular pain
What is TMJ?

Everyone has TMJ — in fact, we each have two. TMJ is your TemporoMandibular Joint. Your lower jaw sits within sockets in front of your ears, and within each of these hinges there is a disc. This is a condition where the jaw bone is not aligned properly and the disc on one or both sides has slipped out of place and is not functioning normally. TMJD often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
You may not even be aware that the disc has slipped. Pain in the actual jaw joint is not always present, but it may appear as "referred pain" in other areas. Just as a slipped disc in your back can cause pain and problems in the surrounding areas (such as aching hips or numbness in the legs), TMJD can affect the surrounding areas as well. (See the list of symptoms above) to the right.
Children can experience TMJ dysfunction too. One of Dr. Rutrick's young patients (click to open case study in a pop-up window) had an open bite from sucking a pacifier, and her jaw shifted to one side when she spoke — the result of a dislocated disc.
Treatment

TMJD does not mean surgery.
Dr. Rutrick's nonsurgical TMJD protocol has evolved over more than 20 years of successfully treating a host of different manifestations of TMJD.
Our goal is to relieve the pain and to stabilize the jaw joint to its normal functioning relationship. A full and thorough evaluation includes joint imaging that shows the disc and soft tissue as well as bone positions (corrected tomography as well as bilateral MRIs of the TMJs with coronal and sagittal views), and then custom appliances are used to realign the jaw.
Out of more than a thousand patients, only a handful have required surgery.While treatment is similar in many cases, no two patients are exactly the same.
Dr. Rutrick's protocol is individualized and focused on the particular needs presented.
Insurance

Although there is no guarantee that insurance will pay for treatment, we will provide all of the necessary paperwork for your claim.
As long as there are no TMJ exclusions in your medical policy and your deductible has been met, insurance should pay for at least a portion of your treatment.
Medical insurance policyholders have been reimbursed for the nonsurgical treatment provided by Dr. Rutrick after submitting claims with the appropriate medical (not dental) billing codes when it has been confirmed that there is malalignment of the craniomandibular articulation complex (the TMJ housing) and proper documentation is supplied.
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Our experienced staff can assist you.
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TMJ (Temporo-mandibular Joint Dysfunction)
Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Ear pain
Toothaches or tooth pain
Clenching or grinding of teeth
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Pressure behind the eyes
Neck aches
Popping or clicking in jaw
Limited jaw movement
Jaw locks open or closed
Jaw pain
Are you experiencing any of these Symptoms???
"When I was 9 years old I had headaches and crooked teeth. My mother took me to a few doctors but wasn’t sure of their answers. My mother’s friend told me about dr. Rutrick and she was right. He was pretty weird, took x-rays and mris and I had to wear a special plate and guess what?
Meet Megan Catrer
Im 24 and one tooth seemed to be slightly out of line. No TMJ problems, no headaches. So I came back at 24 to get a retainer to fix the one tooth. Now I have a baby and think she may need braces too. But I'm Not worried. I know Dr. Rutrick will take care of her as well!
Well, about 2 1/2 years later my headaches were gone and my teeth were not just straight they were pretty. He refered me to a gum doctor who gave me a gum manicure. Wow! You could really see my teeth then. Thank you Dr. Rutrick you knew what I needed and you did it!"
-MC