Jaw pain, clicking or grinding? Start with a bite assessment
TMJ and occlusal therapy on Willoughby Road with Dr Lindsay Chen at MySolutions Dental Clinic — a structured examination of your jaw joints, muscles and bite, then the management options that suit your findings.
Request an assessment
Tell us what you are noticing and how long it has been going on. We will call you back with available times.
Careful diagnosis before any treatment
The Clinician
Dr Lindsay Chen has more than 25 years of clinical dental experience and a special interest in TMJ disorders and jaw pain. Throughout her clinical career, she has developed extensive experience assessing patients presenting with TMJ-related concerns.
She takes a personalised approach to assessment, considering the teeth, bite, jaw function and other relevant factors before discussing appropriate treatment options. She is AHPRA- registered.
Conservative options first
Reversible approaches such as splint therapy and self-management are considered before anything irreversible. Bite-related problems are easy to over-treat.
Referral when it is not dental
Jaw and facial pain can have causes beyond the bite. Where your findings suggest that, we coordinate with your GP, physiotherapist or a specialist.
Does any of this sound familiar?
Select what applies to you and bring the list to your appointment. This is not a diagnosis — symptoms like these have several possible causes, and an examination is needed to work out yours.
Know what the assessment covers before you sit in the chair
Allow around 45 minutes for your first appointment. Records and imaging are taken only where clinically indicated, and any treatment that follows is quoted in writing before it begins.
Costs confirmed in writing
The assessment fee is confirmed when you book. If a splint or restorative work is recommended, you receive an itemised quote with item numbers before anything is scheduled.
Already have a splint?
Bring it with you. Your dentist can assess its fit and wear, and whether it is still doing what it was made to do.
Call us about your splint
Rather not wait for a call?
Reception answers the phone during clinic hours and can arrange a priority appointment if your jaw is locked or painful.
Grinding at night?
Many patients only learn they grind when a partner mentions it, or when a dentist notices wear. Bringing that up early gives more options for protecting the teeth you have.
What treatment may involve
TMJ symptoms are usually managed rather than cured. Which of the following applies depends on your findings, and your dentist will explain the risks, alternatives and costs of each.
Occlusal splint therapy
A custom splint worn as directed, designed to separate the teeth and reduce load on joints, muscles and enamel during clenching or grinding.
Occlusal adjustment
Refinement of how your teeth meet where uneven contacts contribute to strain, including fillings or crowns sitting high in the bite.
Restoring worn teeth
Where grinding has flattened or chipped teeth, rebuilding them with bonded restorations or crowns can restore function and protect what remains.
Self-management support
Jaw rest, soft-diet periods during flare-ups, heat use and awareness of daytime clenching, alongside any dental treatment.
Rebate claimed at the front desk, not weeks later
We are a HICAPS practice and accept all major Australian health funds. Many funds contribute towards examinations and occlusal splints, subject to your level of cover and waiting periods.
You receive item numbers in advance, so you can confirm your rebate with your fund before treatment is booked.
Call us to check your coverTMJ and occlusal therapy, answered
TMJ (temporomandibular) disorders are a group of conditions affecting the jaw joints and the muscles that move them. Symptoms differ from person to person and can involve pain, joint noises, restricted movement, tooth wear or facial tension.
A splint does not stop clenching or grinding itself. It is designed to protect the teeth and reduce the load transmitted to the joints and muscles while it is worn. Response varies between patients, and your dentist will review how you are going.
Splint therapy and self-management strategies are reversible. Adjusting the bite or rebuilding worn teeth is not, which is why we assess thoroughly and start with conservative options where clinically appropriate.
This varies considerably. Some patients notice changes within a few weeks of consistent splint wear; others need a longer period or a different approach. We schedule reviews so progress can be assessed properly.
Not necessarily. Headaches have many possible causes and dentistry addresses only some of them. If your assessment suggests another cause, we will discuss referral to your GP or another practitioner.
Many funds contribute towards occlusal splints and examinations, subject to your level of cover and waiting periods. We provide item numbers in advance so you can confirm your rebate, and HICAPS is available at the clinic.
Any previous splint or night guard, a list of medications, and notes on when symptoms occur. If you have completed the checklist on this page, bring your selections.
MySolutions
Dental Clinic,
Crows Nest
Shop 6, 136 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest NSW 2065 — a short walk from St Leonards station and a few minutes from Crows Nest metro station.
Where our Crows Nest patients come from
Stop working around your jaw pain
An assessment is the first step to understanding what is happening and what can reasonably be done about it.