Diagnostic Capabilities

The Center For Facial Pain has available to it all of the latest diagnostic equipment for the differential diagnosis of orofacial pain conditions.  We provide in-house Transcranial X-rays for screening of the TM Joints.  Through Maine Medical Center and Mercy Hospital of Portland we also provide other advanced imaging techniques such as MRI and Reconstructed CAT Scan.  Other laboratory tests are also available.

  MRI of the TM Joint (MMC)

The Center has one of the most important diagnostic capabilities, that of an experienced and trained clinician.  Dr. Mitchell worked as a general dentist for ten years.  He has treated facial pain patients exclusively for the past 20 years. This experience is the most critical aspect in the differential diagnosis of orofacial pain.

Treatment Options

A wide range of treatment modalities are available at the Center For Facial Pain depending on the specific diagnosis and severity of the problem.  We have the most advanced treatment capabilities based on the latest, evidence-based research in this field. Treatment options include:

• Instruction in self-help and habit reduction
• Medications
• Physical Therapy
• Night time appliances to reduce clenching and tooth grinding
• Therapeutic injections
• Biofeedback

A word about other treatment options you may hear or see advertised over multimedia sources. One of them is a group called "Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry and TMJ."  It is a group of dentists who advocate changing the bite or occlusion of the teeth through rather radical methods (crowns, orthodontics, surgery) to treat Temporomandibular disorders.  This method of treatment has been shown through research to be no more effective, and in some ways much more costly and more harmful than conservative, evidence-based treatment approaches.

If surgery is indicated for advanced TM Joint disorders, patients are normally referred for arthroscopy or open joint reconstruction.