Why does my jaw click, pop or lock?

A click or pop by itself doesn’t automatically mean treatment is required. It deserves more attention when it’s associated with pain, locking, limited opening, or progressive symptoms.

Can TMJ cause headaches?

In some patients, jaw muscles and dysfunction may contribute to headaches, particularly with clenching, grinding, or temple tenderness. Not every headache is caused by TMJ/TMD.

Can TMJ cause ear pain or pressure?

The jaw joint sits near the ear, so some patients report pressure or fullness nearby. Ear symptoms can also be unrelated to the jaw and may need ENT evaluation.

Does a night guard fix TMJ?

Not necessarily. An oral appliance may be appropriate for selected patients, but appliances aren’t interchangeable and don’t address every type of TMD. Design and purpose should depend on the diagnosis, not be used as a universal solution.

Does Botox treat TMJ?

We don’t use or recommend it. Some patients come to us after trying Botox elsewhere without lasting relief. Botox paralyzes the jaw muscle rather than addressing the underlying cause, and repeated use can contribute to further joint and bone deterioration. We diagnose the cause first, then treat it.

What about muscle relaxers, benzodiazepines or melatonin?

Some patients arrive having been prescribed muscle relaxers, benzodiazepines or melatonin elsewhere to manage jaw tension or sleep-related symptoms. Millennium Smiles takes a holistic, non-surgical and non-invasive approach. Our goal is to identify and treat the root cause of your jaw dysfunction, not to manage symptoms with medication alone.

Do steroid injections treat TMJ?

We don’t use or recommend them. Some patients have tried corticosteroid injections into the jaw joint elsewhere for pain relief. Dr. Korous does not use or recommend steroid injections for TMJ treatment. Repeated joint injections can weaken surrounding tissue and contribute to joint deterioration over time, rather than addressing the underlying cause.

Is jaw surgery necessary for TMJ?

Jaw surgery is invasive and irreversible. Dr. Korous’s approach is conservative and non-surgical, focused on identifying and treating the root cause of jaw dysfunction first. Surgical referral is reserved for cases where appropriate conservative treatment has been exhausted, not offered as a first-line option.

Do you prescribe muscle relaxers or medication for TMJ?

Millennium Smiles does not rely on muscle relaxers, benzodiazepines or melatonin as a treatment approach for TMJ/TMD. Our philosophy is holistic, non-surgical and non-invasive. We focus on identifying and treating the root cause of your jaw dysfunction rather than managing symptoms with medication.

Jaw pain is not always just a jaw problem

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Clicking, popping, headaches, facial tension, jaw locking that no longer feels right, these symptoms can involve several parts of the jaw system, not just the spot where you feel it. Dr. Dunia Korous evaluates the whole system before recommending treatment.

I truly don’t know where to begin. From the very first phone call to schedule my consultation, to walking into the clinic, and throughout my entire visit, my experience at Millennium Smiles was exceptional. I came in suffering from severe TMJ, with my jaw locked for over a year and a half. I had previously tried Botox, muscle relaxers, pain medications, and steroids with little to no relief. Nothing seemed to work. During my visit, Dr. Korous thoroughly evaluated me and created a personalized treatment plan. I was even able to begin treatment the same day, which I greatly appreciated. I arrived with a pain level of 10, but after just my first treatment, my pain dropped to a 2. Even more impressive, my jaw mobility immediately improved, and my jaw released to nearly double what it had been before. For the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful and encouraged. I’m already looking forward to my next appointment. I highly recommend Millennium Smiles at the Lebanon location to anyone struggling with TMJ or chronic jaw pain.

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Complimentary evaluation includes symptom history, hands-on jaw assessment, panoramic imaging & bite analysis.
Treating the root cause is our number one goal, not just masking the symptoms. A holistic, conservative approach: no medication, no surgery, no Botox, no injections, no steroids.

Schedule a TMJ Evaluation Watch: How I Evaluate Jaw Pain

1,000+ hrs continuing education
Focused training in TMJ disorder & sleep apnea
95% Phase I success rate · Two Frisco locations

Step One: Diagnose

Before we decide what to do, we ask why: understanding how your joints, muscles, bite and jaw movement work together as a system.

Step Two: Treat

Treatment follows the diagnosis, never the other way around. No predetermined appliance, no one-size-fits-all plan.

Common TMJ & TMD symptoms

Do any of these sound familiar?

Symptoms can look very different from one patient to another. These may deserve evaluation, though they aren’t specific to TMD alone, which is why diagnosis matters.

Jaw pain or soreness
Pain on one side of the jaw
Clicking or popping
Jaw locking or limited opening
Discomfort or inability to chew comfortably
Facial muscle tension or fatigue
Headaches or migraines
Pain or pressure near the ear
Ear stuffiness or ringing
A bite that feels unstable
Clenching or grinding history
Neck or upper back pain
A feeling of “something stuck in my throat”
Undiagnosed dental pain
Forward head posture
Pain at the base of your skull
Dizziness
Numbness or tingling in your hands or fingers
Restlessness, unrest, or anxiety that often accompanies chronic pain

Potential consequences of untreated TMJ/TMD

Why treatment matters

Leaving TMJ dysfunction unaddressed doesn’t just mean living with discomfort. Over time, an untreated underlying cause may contribute to further complications. This is educational information, not a diagnosis, evaluation is the appropriate next step.

Progressive joint damage or degeneration
Worsening jaw locking or loss of function over time
Chronic jaw, head, neck or shoulder pain
Tooth wear, fracture or damage from bite changes
Chronic headaches or migraines
Increased muscle tension and spasm
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or ear fullness
Progressive hearing difficulty
Dizziness or vertigo
Disrupted sleep
Difficulty chewing or nutritional impact
Reduced quality of life and daily function
Increased stress or anxiety from chronic pain

Understanding TMJ: what we actually evaluate

Hear it from Dr. Korous

TMJ symptoms can look very different from one patient to another. In this video, Dr. Dunia Korous explains why a comprehensive TMJ evaluation looks beyond the location of pain and considers jaw movement, muscles, joints, bite and other contributing factors.

What is TMJ, and what is TMD?

Getting the terms straight

TMJ

The temporomandibular joint: the joint connecting the lower jaw to the skull on each side of the face. Patients often use “TMJ” to describe the symptoms themselves.

TMD

Temporomandibular disorder: the broader term for conditions affecting the jaw joints, chewing muscles and related structures. We use both terms because they’re the language patients search.

FAQ: What your symptoms might mean

: A click or pop by itself doesn’t automatically mean treatment is required. It deserves more attention when it’s associated with pain, locking, limited opening, or progressive symptoms.
: In some patients, jaw muscles and dysfunction may contribute to headaches, particularly with clenching, grinding, or temple tenderness. Not every headache is caused by TMJ/TMD.
: The jaw joint sits near the ear, so some patients report pressure or fullness nearby. Ear symptoms can also be unrelated to the jaw and may need ENT evaluation.

A more comprehensive TMJ evaluation

What actually happens at your visit?

The exact examination depends on your individual symptoms. Not every patient requires every diagnostic test.

Your evaluation visit

Symptom history & consultation
Hands-on jaw assessment
Panoramic imaging
Bite analysis

If clinically indicated

3D CBCT imaging
Jaw Tracker Device
Electromyography (EMG)
Joint vibration analysis (JVA)
T-Scan Bite Analysis

Technology used in TMJ evaluation

Additional technology helps us gather objective information. It doesn’t replace your history, exam, or clinical judgment.

3D CBCT Imaging

A Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) scan is a specialized 3D imaging tool used in dentistry to capture detailed, three-dimensional views of the teeth, soft tissues, nerve pathways and bone, supporting TMJ and airway evaluation, including airway obstruction such as sleep apnea.

Jaw Tracker Device

A jaw tracker is a specialized tool used in dentistry to record and analyze lower jaw movements in real time, providing information about how the jaw moves during opening, closing and other functional movements.

EMG

Electromyography (EMG) is a diagnostic tool that measures the electrical activity of the jaw, head and neck muscles to evaluate how well they function during rest and movement.t

Joint Vibration Analysis

Joint Vibration Analysis (JVA) is a quick, non-invasive diagnostic test that measures and records the subtle friction and vibrations produced by the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) as you open and close your mouth.

T-Scan Bite Analysis

T-Scan is a computerized diagnostic tool used to measure and analyze the timing, force and exact contact points of a patient’s bite, used for bite equilibration.

MLS laser therapy

Treating the cause, non-invasively

MLS (Multiwave Locked System) laser therapy is a non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment that uses synchronized dual-wavelength light energy to reduce pain, decrease swelling, and accelerate tissue healing at the cellular level, part of our root-cause, non-invasive approach to TMJ treatment.

Reduces Pain

Modulates nerve signals and triggers endorphin release to naturally relieve jaw, tooth, or facial discomfort.

Decreases Inflammation & Swelling

Stimulates lymphatic drainage and blood flow to help reduce swelling in soft and hard tissues.

Accelerates Healing

Re-energizes cell membranes and boosts cellular metabolism, helping gums, sockets, and bone structures heal faster after procedures.

Relaxes Muscle Spasms

Eases tension in the jaw and facial muscles, especially useful for patients with chronic jaw strain.

Sessions are brief, typically 15 to 30 minutes, with zero downtime, so patients can return to normal activities immediately.

TMJ, sleep & airway

Some patients with jaw symptoms also report sleep-related or breathing concerns. This doesn’t mean every TMJ problem is caused by an airway issue, but in appropriate cases, it deserves consideration as part of the bigger picture.

Common questions about how we treat TMJ

Our focus is on treating the root cause of TMJ dysfunction, not masking symptoms with a band-aid approach. Relying on medication, injections, or symptom-masking treatments over time can contribute to muscle and bone deterioration and additional health complications, rather than resolving the underlying problem.

: Not necessarily. An oral appliance may be appropriate for selected patients, but appliances aren’t interchangeable and don’t address every type of TMD. Design and purpose should depend on the diagnosis, not be used as a universal solution.
: We don’t use or recommend it. Some patients come to us after trying Botox elsewhere without lasting relief. Botox paralyzes the jaw muscle rather than addressing the underlying cause, and repeated use can contribute to further joint and bone deterioration. We diagnose the cause first, then treat it.
: Some patients arrive having been prescribed muscle relaxers, benzodiazepines or
melatonin elsewhere to manage jaw tension or sleep-related symptoms. Millennium Smiles takes a holistic, non-surgical and non-invasive approach. Our goal is to identify and treat the root cause of your jaw dysfunction, not to manage symptoms with medication alone.
: We don’t use or recommend them. Some patients have tried corticosteroid injections into the jaw joint elsewhere for pain relief. Dr. Korous does not use or recommend steroid injections for TMJ treatment. Repeated joint injections can weaken surrounding tissue and contribute to joint deterioration over time, rather than addressing the underlying cause.
: Jaw surgery is invasive and irreversible. Dr. Korous’s approach is conservative and non-surgical, focused on identifying and treating the root cause of jaw dysfunction first. Surgical referral is reserved for cases where appropriate conservative treatment has been exhausted, not offered as a first-line option.

TMJ treatment outcomes

What patients experience

95%

of appropriate Phase I appliance-therapy patients see symptom relief and successfully wean off the daytime appliance.

12–16

weeks is the typical course of Phase I appliance therapy before weaning off. If weaning isn’t successful, non-reversible Phase II options may be explored.

FAQ: Everything else patients want to know

: Millennium Smiles does not rely on muscle relaxers, benzodiazepines or melatonin as a treatment approach for TMJ/TMD. Our philosophy is holistic, non-surgical and non-invasive. We focus on identifying and treating the root cause of your jaw dysfunction rather than managing symptoms with medication.

Woman with long dark hair wearing a yellow sleeveless dress smiles while seated in front of a white orchid arrangement.

Dr. Korous evaluates TMJ/TMD concerns by looking beyond a single symptom, considering the relationship between jaw joints, chewing muscles, jaw movement, teeth, bite and, when clinically appropriate, sleep and airway-related factors. The objective is to understand your individual pattern before recommending treatment.

Dr. Korous has completed over 1,000 hours of continuing education, with focused training in TMJ disorder and sleep apnea. She holds a Fellowship and Mastership in Implantology from the International Congress of Oral Implantology (ICOI), has specialized training in myofunctional therapy, has completed the Spear Education Clinical Mastery Series in occlusion, is trained in TMJ and sleep evaluation through Dr. Steven Olmos, is a Vivos Certified Provider for airway expansion, and is also a certified SMART (IAOMT) provider.

Whole-Patient Philosophy at Millennium Smiles

Our whole-patient philosophy is at the heart of what we do. We believe in listening to our patients first, conducting comprehensive examinations, and providing thorough education to ensure informed, empowered decision-making. This approach acknowledges that oral health, airway health, and overall well-being are deeply interconnected, reflecting Dr. Korous’s training in a biologically respectful, whole-patient approach to care.

About Our Practice

Ready to understand what’s behind your jaw symptoms?

Jaw pain, headaches, clicking, locking and bite discomfort shouldn’t be treated with assumptions. A comprehensive evaluation can help determine what’s really going on, and what treatment options may be appropriate for you.