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Advanced Training · TMJ & Orofacial Pain
Dr. Kaady completed advanced clinical training with Dr. Steven Olmos through a mini-residency focused on TMJ disorders, orofacial pain, and dental sleep medicine.
Jaw pain is rarely explained by a single symptom. The joints, chewing muscles, bite, tooth wear, clenching and grinding, movement, and sleep history can all provide useful information when a problem persists.
Advanced education in TMJ and orofacial pain helps Dr. Kaady evaluate those findings more systematically, recognize when different factors may be contributing, and build care around the individual patient rather than assuming every case has the same cause.
Why This Training Matters
TMJ and facial pain can have more than one contributing factor. Advanced training helps organize the clues (history, joints, muscles, bite, movement, sleep, and imaging) before deciding what treatment makes sense.
The mini-residency included focused education in jaw joint dysfunction, muscle and facial pain, headaches, occlusion, bite instability, clenching and grinding, craniofacial development, sleep-disordered breathing, and the ways these findings may overlap in selected patients.
A clicking joint, headache, worn teeth, or tight jaw does not by itself explain why a patient hurts. A more complete evaluation considers the history, joint and muscle findings, jaw movement, bite, tooth wear, sleep symptoms, and imaging when clinically appropriate.
A night guard can be useful for protecting teeth or managing forces in selected situations, but persistent pain, headaches, clenching, or bite changes may deserve a closer evaluation before assuming that a guard alone addresses the problem.
Sleep-disordered breathing and nighttime jaw activity can coexist, but not every TMJ problem is caused by the airway. Sleep and breathing history are considered when the patient's symptoms or clinical findings make them relevant, with medical evaluation when indicated.
Care is individualized to the diagnosis and contributing factors identified. Depending on the case, that may include conservative self-care, orthotic therapy, supportive laser therapy, bite or restorative planning, sleep and airway evaluation, or collaboration with another provider.
What the Training Included
Dr. Kaady completed Dr. Steven Olmos’ Mini-Residency in sleep-related breathing disorders and craniofacial pain, an advanced continuing-education program encompassing 48 hours of lecture and participation CE. The curriculum extended well beyond appliance therapy.
Joint and muscle evaluation · headaches and neuralgias · craniofacial and musculoskeletal pain · diagnosis and treatment planning
CBCT and MRI interpretation · head-and-neck anatomy · TMJ and airway neuroanatomy
Sleep-disordered breathing evaluation · sleep-study interpretation · oral appliance selection and therapy · pediatric sleep and airway considerations
Myofunctional therapy · orthodontic and orthopedic considerations · physical-medicine approaches · multidisciplinary treatment planning
Why it matters: This training helps inform a broader evaluation of the jaw joints, muscles, bite and, when clinically relevant, sleep and airway factors that may contribute to a patient’s symptoms.
From Training to Patient Care
If jaw pain, headaches, clenching, grinding, or bite changes keep returning, explore how Bridgetown Dental evaluates TMJ and orofacial pain before deciding what treatment makes sense.
We’re here to listen and help you decide what makes sense for you.
