SoCal TMJ & Headache — Los Angeles

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Chronic Orofacial Pain — Los Angeles

Specialist Care for Chronic TMJ Pain.
A Clear Diagnosis. A Plan Built on It.

Chronic jaw and facial pain can involve the joint, muscles, nerves, and headache patterns at the same time, and it can change over time. A board-qualified orofacial pain specialist evaluates all of them together, reviews the care you have already had, and builds a plan around the current source of your pain.

Book Your Consultation

No referral needed · Help filing with medical insurance · $650

How It Works

Four Steps From First Visit to Plan.

1

Your Full History

Every prior record, scan, and treatment you bring is reviewed. How the pain started, changed, and responded to care is part of the diagnosis.

You receive: a complete picture of your pain history.

2

Focused Clinical Exam

Joint, muscle, nerve, and headache contributors are examined together using DC/TMD criteria.

You receive: findings across every possible source.

3

On-Site Imaging

A 3-D CBCT scan is included, with quantitative sensory testing when nerve involvement is suspected.

You receive: objective data to confirm the findings.

4

Diagnosis and Written Plan

Your pain is classified with ICOP criteria and a written plan targets the confirmed source, coordinated with your other providers when helpful.

You receive: a clear diagnosis and a plan with milestones.

Specialized Scope

One Specialist Who Sees the Whole Picture.

Orofacial pain sits where dentistry and neurology meet. Each specialty below covers an important part of care. An orofacial pain specialist focuses on how the parts connect.

Dr. Chung provides that integration — examining joint, nerve, vascular, and muscular contributors simultaneously. The goal is a clear diagnosis and a plan you understand.

General Dentist

Structural & Oral Health

Ensures the integrity of teeth, periodontal tissues, and occlusion. The primary lens for dental and oral structural evaluation.

Neurologist

Systemic Neurological Health

Evaluates the central and peripheral nervous system. Identifies systemic neurological pathology — MS, tumor, neurovascular compression.

Oral Surgeon

Structural Surgical Intervention

Manages hard-tissue and surgical pathology of the jaw, condyles, and craniofacial skeleton. The primary lens for surgical intervention.

Orofacial Pain Specialist

Diagnostic Integration

Bridges dentistry and neurology through Comprehensive Diagnosis — ICOP taxonomy, DC/TMD criteria, quantitative sensory testing, and on-site CBCT imaging. Identifies the root cause and routes treatment accordingly.

Objective Diagnostic Data

The Technology That Finds the Source.

On-site CBCT imaging provides immediate, high-resolution 3D craniofacial evaluation — eliminating the delay and fragmentation of external imaging referrals. This is not a screening tool. It is a diagnostic instrument that reveals the structural reality of the temporomandibular joints, airway, and craniofacial skeleton.

On-Site CBCT Imaging

  • High-resolution 3D visualization of the TMJ condyles, articular eminence, and joint space
  • Detection of osseous changes, degenerative joint disease, and condylar morphology abnormalities
  • Immediate results on the day of your consultation — no external referral, no waiting period
  • Eliminates the delay and fragmentation of ordering imaging through third-party facilities

ICOP Taxonomy

  • International Classification of Orofacial Pain — the standardized diagnostic framework adopted worldwide
  • Classifies pain as musculoskeletal (TMD), neuropathic (nerve-related), neurovascular (migraine/cluster), or idiopathic
  • Every diagnosis is mapped to an evidence-based treatment pathway
  • Prevents the “diagnostic drift” that occurs when clinicians use inconsistent terminology

Your Specialist

Dr. Sang H. Chung, DMD

Board Qualified Orofacial Pain Specialist. Fellowship-level training at the University of Southern California. Every patient who enters this office receives the same standard: the answer first, treatment second.

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Diagnostic Consultation

Ready for a Specialist Evaluation?

If your jaw or facial pain is ongoing or has changed, a focused specialist evaluation is the next step: a full history, exam, and CBCT scan, then a written plan.

Book Your Consultation

Prefer to call? (323) 238-9134

No referral needed · Help filing with medical insurance · $650

Condition Reference

Read the clinical overview of TMJ disorders (DC/TMD classification, subtypes, and diagnostic criteria) →
When TMJ pain returns or changes: why classification matters →