New Hanover County · Since 1987
TMJ Treatment in Kure Beach, 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
Understanding 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 ›
What we see from Kure Beach
Kure Beach has the oldest resident profile in New Hanover County. A third of the town is 65 or older, and barely one in ten residents is under 18.
Joint and muscle pain in an older bite is often the end result of decades of wear rather than a new problem, and it responds to the same conservative treatment.
The dental needs here skew heavily toward restorative and prosthetic work rather than preventive care for children.
Fort Fisher and the aquarium bring the visitors; the year-round community is small, settled and largely retired.
Thirty-two minutes each way is the reason we plan Kure Beach treatment in as few appointments as the clinical work allows.
We see patients from across Kure Beach and the surrounding area, including the Kure Beach Pier, Fort Fisher, the NC Aquarium and the 28449 ZIP code.
New Hanover County is the built-out core of the region, growing around one percent a year, with roughly 21 percent of residents over 65 and the highest concentration of employer dental coverage in southeastern North Carolina.
We will tell you honestly whether this is worth doing now or whether it can be watched for a year, and we will say which of your existing work is likely to fail next.
We plan restorative treatment in as few visits as the work allows, because thirty-two minutes each way adds up fast.
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
The sequence of appointments
- 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.
If getting to follow-up visits is difficult, tell us. We can often combine checks into fewer, longer appointments.
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.
If you are on Medicare, note that it does not cover routine dental treatment. Many supplement plans include a limited dental benefit with an annual cap, and we will check yours before quoting anything.
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
Do I need surgery?
Almost certainly not. The large majority of cases respond to conservative treatment.
Will a drugstore night guard work?
It can protect enamel. It is not adjusted to your bite, and an unadjusted guard sometimes makes the muscle pain worse.
How far is your office from Kure Beach?
About 18 miles, or roughly 32 minutes via US-421 North the length of Pleasure Island. We are at 1301 Physicians Dr in Wilmington, with parking at the door.
Do you see patients from Kure Beach?
Regularly. Kure Beach is part of our core service area in New Hanover County, and we plan restorative treatment in as few visits as the work allows, because thirty-two minutes each way adds up fast.
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 · Kure Beach, 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.
