New Patients
We look forward to your first appointment. This practice is limited to temporomandibular joint disorders, facial pain, and oral devices for sleep apnea. We do not do any general dentistry at this practice. Please read below for general information about your first appointment. If you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to call our office.
What to Bring:
- Please complete and submit your forms – click here to download.
- Oral Device: If you have worn any type of night guard, oral device for sleep apnea, or any type of oral appliance, please bring it with you to the first appointment.
- X-Rays: If you have had a panoramic x-ray (a dental x-ray that rotates around your head) or any other type of imaging or reports of your temporomandibular joints, please obtain a copy and bring it with you during your first appointment. You can also request your dentist to send a copy directly to our office via email or mail.
- Timeline: If you have been to several doctors or dentists, please bring with you or fax a timeline of your symptoms and previous therapies.
- Medications: Please bring a list of all current medications that you are taking.
- Other: Any other medical/dental reports or imaging that you may believe is pertinent for the doctor’s review.
- For sleep apnea patients only: Please bring a copy of your diagnostic sleep study.
What to expect for your first appointment:
TMJ Patients: The appointment will be approximately one hour long. During this time, we will review your medical history and listen to your complaints and symptoms. This will be followed by a thorough clinical exam. We will then discuss and explain our diagnosis and answer any questions you may have. Appropriate recommendations will be made and we will discuss your treatment plan based on your diagnosis.
Orofacial Pain Patients: The appointment will be approximately one and a half hours long. In order to use the time more efficiently, please bring with you or fax a timeline or summary of your complaints and symptoms. Please include previous doctors, therapies, and medications. We will review your medical history and listen to your complaints and symptoms. This will be followed by a clinical exam. We will then discuss and explain our diagnosis and answer any questions you may have. We will make the appropriate recommendations and discuss your treatment plan based on your diagnosis.
Sleep Apnea Patients: The appointment will be approximately one hour long. We will review your medical history and discuss your symptoms. After an examination, we will review your sleep study and your panoramic radiograph to determine your best treatment course. We will discuss the various oral devices that are available and explain how they work to treat sleep apnea. If it is determined that an oral device is appropriate, we will take impressions of your mouth and you will receive your custom made device within a few weeks. At your next appointment, you will be shown how to wear your device and it will be adjusted for a custom fit. There will be further follow up appointments to ensure that your device is comfortable and effective in addressing your sleep apnea. You will then be referred back to your sleep physician for a follow up sleep study using your dental device.
Insurance:
As a courtesy, our office will submit your claim form to your medical insurance. However, because our office does not participate with any insurance companies, you will pay us and any reimbursement made by your insurance company will go directly to you. We will work with you and your insurance company to obtain any necessary pre-authorizations. TMJ/Facial Pain and Sleep Apnea is considered a medical condition. Therefore, we would submit any claim form to your medical insurance and not your dental insurance.
We look forward to meeting you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us @ (949) 748-3722 or request an appointment.