Pender County · Since 1987
TMJ Treatment in Burgaw, NC
Jaw pain, clicking, morning headaches and teeth that are wearing flat usually trace back to the joint and the muscles around it. It is treatable, and it rarely needs surgery.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
The basics of TMJ treatment
The temporomandibular joint takes the load of every clench. When the bite and the joint disagree, the muscles compensate, and the result shows up as headache, earache, neck tension or a jaw that locks.
Full detail on TMJ treatment ›
Why Burgaw patients come to us for this
Burgaw is the Pender County seat and the most demographically mixed town in our service area.
A night guard is one appointment for records and one to fit, and it prevents a category of damage that is expensive to repair.
US-117 and I-40 both work from Burgaw, and I-40 is usually the faster of the two into the medical district.
Burgaw is the Pender County seat, and the courthouse and county offices are a meaningful part of the local employment base.
Rural Pender patients often arrive after a long gap in care, and we plan treatment in phases rather than all at once.
We see patients from across Burgaw and the surrounding area, including the historic Burgaw Depot, the Pender County Courthouse, the NC Blueberry Festival and the 28425 ZIP code.
Pender County is the second fastest-growing county in the state and it has the highest share of under-18s in the region at over 22 percent. Family scheduling and preventive care carry more weight here than anywhere else we serve.
We phase larger plans with a price attached to each stage so it can be paid down over time rather than committed to in one sum.
Rural patients often arrive after a long gap in care. We start with a full exam and a plan you can stage over time, not a lecture.
You may be a candidate if
- Clicking, popping or grating when you open
- Waking with a sore jaw or a headache at the temples
- Teeth that look worn flat or are chipping at the edges
- Jaw that catches or locks
- Ear pain with no ear infection
- Neck and shoulder tension that nobody has explained
Your treatment, start to finish
- Joint and muscle examWe palpate the joint and the muscles, measure your opening, and listen to the joint through the range.
- Bite analysisHow your teeth meet, and where the wear facets are, tells us what your jaw does at night.
- Night guardA custom guard, adjusted properly, not a boil-and-bite from a drugstore.
- Review and adjustWe see you back to fine-tune it. This step is where most of the benefit is.
- Further treatment if neededBite adjustment, restorative work, or referral for physical therapy.
Afterwards
Wear the guard every night, including the nights you feel fine. Soft diet during a flare, heat on the muscles, and stop chewing gum. Bring the guard to your cleanings so we can check the wear pattern.
We will combine follow-up checks wherever it is clinically sound, because a thirty mile round trip for a two minute look is a poor use of your day.
What it costs
A custom occlusal guard is often partially covered by dental plans, and sometimes by medical when headaches are documented. The evaluation is straightforward and we will tell you what your benefits will do before we make anything.
We stage larger plans of treatment into phases with a price on each one, so it can be paid down over time rather than committed to in a single sum.
In their own words
Hear from Dr. Josh Winneberger
Dr. Winneberger on getting you numb without you noticing, and helping nervous patients get comfortable in the chair.
Questions we get asked
How long before I feel better?
Many patients notice a difference within a few weeks of wearing a properly adjusted guard. Long-standing muscle pain takes longer.
Could my headaches be dental?
Morning headaches at the temples, with worn teeth and a sore jaw, point strongly that way. It is worth an exam.
How far is your office from Burgaw?
About 30 miles, or roughly 40 minutes via US-117 South or I-40 South to N. College Road. We are at 1301 Physicians Dr in Wilmington, with parking at the door.
Do you see patients from Burgaw?
Regularly. Burgaw is part of our core service area in Pender County, and rural patients often arrive after a long gap in care. We start with a full exam and a plan you can stage over time, not a lecture.
What are your hours?
Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, and Friday, 8:00am to 12:00pm. Outside those hours, leave a message or use the appointment request form and we will come back to you with the first available time.
TMJ Treatment · Burgaw, NC
Honest dentistry, since 1987.
We will tell you what needs doing now, what can wait, and what we would leave alone.
- Over 50,000 patients treated since 1987
- Comprehensive new patient exam including oral cancer screening
- Three doctors and a long-tenured team
- Most major dental plans accepted
Been told you need a lot of work somewhere else? Second opinions are welcome and we give them straight.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
Please do not include Protected Health Information. For anything urgent, call (910) 762-0958.
