TMJ Treatment in Tribeca, NYC
TMJ treatment starts with understanding what's actually straining your jaw joint — the temporomandibular joint that hinges your jaw to your skull. I'm Dr. Nina Izhaky. Jaw pain, clicking when you chew, morning headaches, a sore jaw on waking, worn or flattened teeth — these are the signs we see every week, and they're very often connected to nighttime grinding and clenching (bruxism) and the way your bite distributes force. We don't guess at TMJ. We evaluate your bite, your jaw movement, and your grinding patterns, then build the plan your case actually calls for.
What TMJ trouble looks like
The joint is small. The symptoms show up everywhere — jaw, teeth, head, sleep.
The symptoms we see most.
Jaw soreness on waking, clicking or popping when you chew, morning headaches, worn or flattened tooth edges, and teeth that look shorter than they used to. Most people don't know they grind — we see the signs at the exam.
Grinding is the usual suspect.
Nighttime grinding and clenching (bruxism) overload the joint and the teeth. A custom night guard — fitted to your exact bite — absorbs that extra force so your teeth, and any veneers, crowns, or porcelain, don't have to.
Your bite decides the forces.
Proper arch form and jaw relationships distribute biting forces evenly, which may ease strain associated with clenching and TMJ tension. We evaluate your bite as part of every TMJ workup.
Sometimes the airway is involved.
Grinding is sometimes the body's way of keeping a restricted airway open during sleep. If we see red flags like snoring, waking tired, or morning headaches, we recommend a proper sleep evaluation before or alongside TMJ care. Diagnosis first.
How we treat TMJ problems
Diagnosis first. Then the right tool for the real cause.
TMJ and bite evaluation.
We examine your jaw movement, check for clicking and tenderness, evaluate your bite and wear patterns, and look at the signs of grinding — worn edges, stress on fillings and porcelain, shortened teeth.
Find the cause.
Grinding? Bite-force problem? Jaw relationship that orthodontics could correct? Airway involvement? The treatment has to match the cause, and the evaluation is how we know.
Your treatment plan.
For grinding: a custom night guard made to your exact bite. For force-distribution problems: bite analysis and correction. For jaw-relationship causes: orthodontic options, including airway orthodontics. We explain every option honestly.
Follow-up and fine-tuning.
Bring your guard to your visits so we can evaluate the fit — a guard that stops fitting is a guard you stop wearing. We track your symptoms and adjust the plan as your jaw responds.
My honest rule about TMJ
TMJ pain has causes, and the treatment has to match the cause — a guard for grinding, bite work for force problems, orthodontics when the jaw relationship is the issue. What I won't do is hand you a generic appliance and hope. The evaluation tells us which path is yours.
Hablamos español
We warmly welcome Spanish-speaking patients. Nuestro equipo le explica su diagnóstico de ATM y su plan de tratamiento en su idioma — llámenos al (212) 561-5303. No facturamos directamente al seguro; le ayudamos con el financiamiento.
TMJ treatment questions, answered
01What is TMJ, exactly?
TMJ is the temporomandibular joint — the hinge connecting your jaw to your skull. 'TMJ problems' means pain, clicking, or limited movement in that joint, very often driven by nighttime grinding and clenching and the way your bite distributes force.
02How do I know if my jaw pain is TMJ-related?
The classic signs: jaw soreness on waking, clicking or popping when you chew, morning headaches, and worn or flattened tooth edges. Most grinders don't know they grind — we see the evidence at your exam and evaluate your bite and jaw movement to confirm.
03Will a night guard fix my TMJ pain?
If grinding is the cause, a custom guard fitted to your exact bite absorbs the damaging force and usually calms symptoms down. If the cause is your bite relationship or something else, the guard alone isn't the answer — that's why the evaluation comes first.
04What's the difference between a night guard and a sleep apnea device?
A night guard is protective: it absorbs grinding forces so your teeth and dental work don't take the damage. An oral appliance for sleep apnea is a treatment device: it gently shifts the lower jaw forward to keep the airway open. Different tools for different problems — we don't confuse them.
05Do I need orthodontics for TMJ?
Sometimes. When the jaw relationship itself distributes forces badly, orthodontic correction — including airway orthodontics — can ease the strain. We'll tell you honestly whether your case is a guard case, an orthodontic case, or both.
06Can TMJ problems be related to my sleep?
They can. Grinding is sometimes the body's way of keeping a restricted airway open during sleep. If you snore, wake tired, or get morning headaches, we recommend a proper sleep evaluation — with at-home sleep testing when indicated — before or alongside TMJ care.
07Where are you located?
54 Warren Street, New York, NY 10007, in the heart of Tribeca — serving Tribeca, SoHo, Battery Park City, the Financial District, and Downtown Manhattan.
08Do you speak Spanish?
Yes — hablamos español. Our team explains your TMJ diagnosis and treatment plan in your language.
TMJ treatment in the heart of Tribeca
Find us at 54 Warren Street, New York, NY 10007 — in the heart of Tribeca, serving Tribeca, SoHo, Battery Park City, the Financial District, and Downtown Manhattan.
Jaw pain, clicking, morning headaches?
Get a real TMJ evaluation — bite, jaw, and grinding patterns — and an honest plan. Call (212) 561-5303 or book online.
