Why you've tried everything and still don't feel right
The seven-minute visit, and the one question the system was never built to ask.
upper cervical care · ann arbor, michigan
TMJ and jaw pain that a night guard hasn't settled
Your jaw clicks or aches, your bite feels off, and sometimes your ears ache too. The dentist made a guard. It helps at night, and the rest of the day it's still there.
what it often looks like
What people with TMJ and jaw pain often describe
- A jaw that clicks, catches or tires when you chew
- A bite that feels uneven
- Ear ache or fullness with no ear infection
- Headaches at the temples, and a stiff neck
Why it is often missed. Jaw problems are usually looked at in the jaw, by a dentist or an oral surgeon, and that care matters. How your head sits on your neck, and how that changes your bite and posture, is a different question, and it is seldom measured.
Why the upper neck may be involved. Your jaw and your upper neck work as a pair. When the head shifts on the top of the neck, the jaw muscles and the bite have to compensate. A NUCCA study found that bite balance and posture readings changed after a correction for many people, though not for everyone.
what the research looked at
Three published studies on TMJ and jaw pain
Published 2002 to 2020. The strongest design among them: cohort, pilot or before-and-after study. Each one is summarized in plain words in our research library: who was studied, what was measured, what was found, and where it falls short.
- Bite balance and posture, measured before and after a NUCCA correction
- A 36-year-old woman with chronic jaw pain, and QSM3 care
- A 41-year-old woman with jaw problems, ear pain, ringing and vertigo
The NUCCA study shows that posture and bite readings can change after a correction, and that not everyone's did. It does not report whether jaw symptoms changed. The case reports each describe one woman: one with QSM3, one with a different technique. Jaw problems often need a dentist as well, and the authors of the NUCCA study say the two professions should work together.
The TMJ and jaw pain studies, by design and year
how we measure
The Lazar Method™ measures first
Everyone else told you what might work. We measure before anything is decided. PostureIQ™ measures how your body carries your head, digital X-ray shows the alignment of the upper neck, and muscle tone scans show where the strain sits.
Before any correction we measure how your nervous system is regulating your body: heart rate variability, thermal and muscle tone scans, PostureIQ™, and digital X-ray of the upper neck. Dr. Jonathan Lazar, D.C., or someone personally trained by him, will go over your scans and images with you. QSM3, the method used at our office, is a progression of NUCCA, and the correction is gentle and specific: no cracking, no twisting.
If we can help, we'll tell you. If we can't, we'll help you find someone who can.
Please note: Jaw problems often need a dentist as well. We're glad to work alongside yours.
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Keep the doctors who know you in the loop.
Your doctor. QSM3 Level M Certified. One of eight doctors in the world. In practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan, since 2008. About Dr. Lazar
the dr. lazar show
Hear how Dr. Lazar thinks before you call
Heard for 17 years on WMUZ 103.5 FM, The Dr. Lazar Show is now on YouTube and as a podcast. There is no episode on TMJ and jaw pain on its own yet. These two are where most people start.
The Lazar Method™: how we actually reset the system
The five steps on air for the first time: measure, identify, clarify, correct, restore, and what gets measured before anything else.
traveling for care
Coming from another state, or hours away?
People drive from across Michigan because nothing closer worked. If you live hours away, or in another state, working out the days, the hotel and the records shouldn't be yours to carry alone. Our office is at 203 S. Zeeb Rd, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Traveling with a child? Families welcome.
- IntensiveIntensive programs
Your assessment, your Report of Findings and a concentrated block of corrections in one stay in Ann Arbor, usually one to two weeks, set at your Report of Findings. We read your records before you travel, so you only make the trip if it makes sense. The prices are itemized on the page.
- StayStaying in Ann Arbor
A negotiated medical rate for patients and their families at the Holiday Inn & Suites Ann Arbor, with breakfast, Wi-Fi and parking included.
- RemoteRemote care
Can't travel to Ann Arbor at all? Dr. Lazar works with a small number of remote patients. The correction itself is hands-on, so when your case needs it, we'll tell you, and help you find a qualified upper cervical provider near you.
questions
Questions people ask about TMJ and jaw pain
Still have a question? Call 734.274.5107, or book a 15-minute Clarity Call, a phone call with our team and no commitment. Cost and insurance are answered plainly on the FAQ page.
Keep reading
Can the neck affect TMJ and jaw pain?
It can for some people. The jaw and the upper neck work as a pair, and when the head sits off center on the neck, the jaw muscles and the bite compensate. Whether that is part of your jaw pain is something we measure, not assume. Your dentist stays an important part of the picture.
What does research say about upper cervical care and TMJ?
A 2016 NUCCA study measured bite balance and posture before and after a correction and found changes for many people, not everyone. It did not report whether jaw symptoms changed. Two case reports describe one woman each, one of them with QSM3, the method used at our office. The NUCCA authors say dentists and upper cervical doctors should work together.
Do I still need my dentist?
Yes. Jaw problems often need a dentist as well, and a night guard or bite work can matter. Upper cervical care looks at a different piece: how your head sits on your neck. If your scans show something we can help, we'll tell you, and we're glad to work alongside your dentist.
Why do my ears ache when my jaw hurts?
The jaw joint sits right in front of the ear, and the muscles and nerves of the jaw, ear and upper neck are close neighbors. That is why jaw problems can show up as ear ache or a full feeling in the ear. If you have ear pain, have your ears checked by a doctor too, so nothing is missed.
tried everything
When nothing else has worked, start with clarity.
In about 4 minutes, you'll see whether your symptoms point to nervous system dysfunction, and exactly what to do next. Free. Your answers stay private. No spam, ever.
Prefer to talk first?
or call 734.274.5107 · ready to come in? Book your complimentary consultation
Screening adapted from the autonomic dysfunction screening developed by Bruce Bell, MD.
A member of our team will reach out within one business day.