Overview of First TMJ Visit
For Patients
What To Expect At Your First Visit
When you book an appointment with us for a TMJ assessment, you will first complete our comprehensive questionnaire, prior to your appointment.
The diagnostic procedure begins with documenting your medical history, which will include all past medical and dental problems and associated treatments. A history of your trauma will also be obtained, especially those relating to your head or neck.
Questions will also be asked about your symptoms, especially any problems with pain or your jaw, including details about the nature and duration of these symptoms.
For A TMJ Problem A Physical Examination Will Likely Include:
- A postural exam to discover any musculoskeletal problems that either contribute to, or are the result of, TMJ problems. This includes scoliosis, lower back pain and short leg syndrome, among others.
- Functional examinations to evaluate swallowing, breathing and chewing, among others.
- Screening for sleep disorders to evaluate if sleep disorders are present and further diagnosis is required.
- A dental examination to evaluate the shape of the dental arches, tooth wear or fractures, missing teeth, existing dental restorations or other clues to the problem.
- A neurologic examination to evaluate for nerve damage that may be related to your symptoms.
- A TMJ examination to look at the range of motion, gait, speed and smoothness of jaw movement. Additionally, the TM joints will be checked for internal derangement, joint inflammation, pain and the presence of joint sounds.
- A Joint Vibrational Analysis (JVA), a non-invasive technology that records the vibrations made by joint tissues during movement. The patterns and electronic signature of your joints are compared with known standards for healthy joints.
Based on the findings, further testing might be required, which might include imaging or other tests.
Imaging:
Depending on the nature and severity of the problem, we might order specific imaging for the evaluation of hard tissues (bone and teeth) and airway. Our office uses state-of-the-art imaging modality: Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT).
A CBCT is a compact, faster and safer version of a medical grade CT scan. The time needed for a full scan is typically under 20 seconds and the radiation dosage is up to a hundred times less than that of a regular medical CT scan.
Learn more about what our patients have to say
about the TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of the Greater Toronto Area
Jill Krstajic2024-10-31 It is not an understatement to say that Dr Goodfellow and his staff have greatly improved the quality of my life! My TMJ pain was unbearable and as a Dental Hygienist I was actually skeptical that the treatment would work, it did and I am grateful! I would gladly recommend Dr Goodfellow for anyone suffering TMJ and Sleep Issues. Lanndis De Lallo2024-09-30 This device changed my life. I have had TMJ for as long as I can remember with a long history of orthodontic work from childhood. For the first time as an adult, I can control my jaw pain, clicking, locking and tension headaches with the night time appliance, which I wear every night - I can feel the difference even going one night without it. The daytime appliance also makes a big difference and now I can wear it periodically. Dr. Goodfellow, Cathie, Tina and the entire team are delightful, helpful and I can't thank them enough for helping me implement this life changing, non-surgical solution to my TMJ! Steve McDonald2024-09-19 Before being treated by Dr. Goodfellow I had severe jaw pain so bad I sometimes could hardly eat. That pain is now virtually gone. I am so grateful and I highly recommend Dr. Goodfellow! Julia Leclerc2024-07-23 I suffered from severe jaw pain and eventually jaw locking. Dr. Goodfellow not only was able to diagnose the issue, he was able to completely redirect my jaw and sleeping patterns with the mouth guard that I now wear to sleep every night. I don’t even get headaches anymore! The difference has been incredible and I am forever grateful. Highly recommend Dr. Goodfellow and his staff. Sandy Hale2024-07-09 I feel very positive about the treatment I received from Dr. Goodfellow and his team over a six month period. My TMJ disorder symptoms have been resolved to the point where I am almost pain free every day. Dr. Goodfellow helped me to understand both the causes of my jaw issues and how the treatments would work towards healing. His staff are friendly, accommodating and extremely knowledgeable and helped to allay any fears I had about treatments. I highly recommend TMJ & Sleep Therapy to any and all persons suffering from TMJ disorders. Anthony Hajsan2024-07-04 Dr. Goodfellow is a good fellow (I know, so original)! This is the only place that has helped with my TMJ. oren dishy2024-04-02 I've had a click in my jaw for over 30 years and over the past year it was constant pain and difficulty chewing. Dr. Goodfellow and his staff provided me with a non-invasive appliance one for the day and one for night and within 6 months I was pain and click free. It's as if I have brand new jaw with no issues whatsoever. Without a doubt, the best medical treatment I've ever received. I would give six stars if it was available. Paula Carmona-Murphy2024-01-22 After years of dealing with TMJ pain (and trying different types of appliances) I saw Dr. Goodfellow. I am thrilled with the results. Dr. Goodfellow and his staff are amazing! Shicheng Wu2024-01-11 Solved on my jaw pain and overbite issues in an efficient way.