Orofacial Pain & Oral Medicine · Los Angeles
TMJ Specialist Los Angeles — Your Chronic Orofacial Pain Has a Source. This Is Where You Find It. Board Qualified Orofacial Pain Specialist Dr. Sang Chung.
You have seen the specialists. You have had the imaging.
The scans came back normal. The pain did not.
The Specialist
Dr. Sang H. Chung, DMD
Board Qualified Orofacial Pain Specialist
Most patients who find this practice have already seen five or more providers. Normal MRIs. Negative dental exams. Treatments that helped for a while, then stopped. Each provider was competent within their scope. The problem is that orofacial pain lives between specialties — and no one was looking at the whole picture.
This practice exists for one reason: to find the answer those providers could not. Joint, nerve, vascular, or idiopathic — the source determines everything that follows. You will not begin treatment until you have a diagnosis. The answer changes everything.
Education & Training
- Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine Certification, University of Southern California
- Board Qualified Orofacial Pain Specialist
Professional Affiliations
American Academy of Orofacial Pain · American Board of Orofacial Pain · American Dental Association · California Dental Association
Why This Keeps Happening
The Pain Is Real. The Diagnosis Was Wrong.
You did everything right. You saw the specialists, did the imaging, followed the plans. The pain is still there. Not because you did something wrong — because no single provider was trained to look at the whole picture. Your pain lives between dentistry and neurology, and that gap is where it stayed.
Without someone who examines joint, nerve, vascular, and systemic contributors at the same time, treatment targets the wrong structure. That is why the splint helped, then stopped. That is why the medication worked, then stopped. The source was never found.
The Symptomatic Approach
- Treats the site of pain, not the source.
- Relies on serial prescriptions without identifying the cause.
- Symptoms return because the root cause was never identified.
The Diagnostic Approach
- Identifies the root cause before initiating any treatment.
- Integrates advanced imaging, neurophysiological testing, and clinical examination.
- Treatment is directed at the root cause — not the most recent symptom.
Scope of Practice
Conditions We Diagnose & Treat.
Temporomandibular Disorders
Intra-articular and muscular TMD — disc displacement, arthralgia, myofascial pain, degenerative joint disease.
Temporomandibular disorders are the most common cause of chronic orofacial pain. TMD encompasses a spectrum of conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint, the masticatory muscles, or both. Subtypes include disc displacement with reduction and without reduction, inflammatory arthralgia, osteoarthritis, and myofascial pain syndrome. Many patients present after years of dental treatments — occlusal adjustments, splints, extractions — that addressed symptoms without identifying the underlying joint or muscular pathology. We apply the DC/TMD diagnostic criteria to classify each subtype accurately before recommending a targeted treatment protocol.
Learn More →Neuropathic Pain
Trigeminal neuralgia, postherpetic neuralgia, burning mouth syndrome, atypical odontalgia.
Neuropathic orofacial pain arises from dysfunction or injury to the trigeminal nerve system. Trigeminal neuralgia presents as intense, lancinating facial pain often triggered by light touch or chewing. Burning mouth syndrome produces a persistent burning sensation without visible mucosal changes. Atypical odontalgia — phantom tooth pain — leads patients to undergo unnecessary root canals and extractions. These conditions require neurological classification, not dental treatment. We use quantitative sensory testing, nerve block assessments, and MRI to differentiate neuropathic from non-neuropathic pain, which fundamentally changes the treatment trajectory.
Learn More →Neurovascular & Tension-Type
Migraine with orofacial involvement, tension-type headache with referred craniofacial pain.
Neurovascular conditions — particularly migraine — frequently present with orofacial pain as a primary complaint, leading to misdiagnosis as TMD or dental pathology. Tension-type headache can produce referred pain to the temporalis, masseter, and periorbital regions that mimics jaw dysfunction. Differentiating neurovascular pain from musculoskeletal pain is critical because the treatment approaches differ substantially. Our diagnostic protocol includes headache classification, trigger identification, and assessment of central sensitization patterns to ensure the correct cause is identified before treatment begins.
Learn More →Oral Medicine
Mucosal lesions, salivary gland disorders, taste disturbances, medication-induced oral complications.
Oral medicine encompasses the diagnosis and non-surgical management of mucosal diseases, salivary gland dysfunction, taste and smell disorders, and oral manifestations of systemic conditions. Patients with burning mouth syndrome, lichen planus, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, or medication-induced xerostomia often cycle through dental providers without receiving an accurate diagnosis. These conditions require systematic evaluation of the mucosal tissues, salivary flow rates, and relevant laboratory studies. As a Board Qualified Orofacial Pain Specialist with training in Oral Medicine, Dr. Chung provides comprehensive assessment of both pain and non-pain oral conditions.
Learn More →How You Get to the Answer
What Happens When You Walk In.
- Your pain mapped completely: where it starts, what triggers it, how it behaves, and when it began
- Every imaging study and provider note you bring — reviewed to identify what was missed
- Cranial nerve examination, jaw range-of-motion testing, and intraoral assessment
- Screening for contributing factors that influence how your pain is perceived
You Receive
A preliminary pain profile identifying the most likely diagnostic category
- On-site cone beam CT for high-resolution TMJ and craniofacial evaluation
- High-field MRI when nerve compression or joint pathology is suspected
- Quantitative sensory testing to map nerve pain patterns and identify the source
- Laboratory workup when systemic or inflammatory contributors are indicated
You Receive
Objective diagnostic data correlated with your clinical examination findings
- Classification using the International Classification of Orofacial Pain (ICOP) taxonomy
- DC/TMD diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorder subtyping
- Differentiation of musculoskeletal, neuropathic, neurovascular, and idiopathic causes
- Ruling out referred pain from non-orofacial sources
You Receive
A clear, specific diagnosis — the answer to why this started.
- Evidence-based pharmacologic management specific to the confirmed diagnosis
- Physical therapy or orofacial myofunctional therapy referrals when indicated
- Behavioral pain management integration for chronic pain modulation
- Coordinated referral to neurosurgery or other specialists only when warranted by diagnosis
You Receive
A written treatment plan with measurable milestones and follow-up schedule.
The Referral Loop
The Referral Loop Ends Here.
The average patient here has seen five or more providers. Months of appointments. Thousands of dollars. Irreversible dental work that addressed the wrong problem. We exist because that cycle should not be the cost of finding the right answer.
The Referral Chain
General dentist. Endodontist. Neurologist. ENT.
Pain management. Physical therapist. Psychologist.
Symptomatic relief at each stop. No unified diagnosis.
The Diagnostic Resolution
One specialist trained to answer the question no one else could.
All prior imaging reviewed. New diagnostics on day one.
A clear diagnosis — the root cause named — with a treatment plan to match.
Who This Is For
What You Get — and What You Will Not.
What We Offer
- A diagnosis — a real answer to what is causing your pain. Not another symptom label. Not "let's try this and see."
- The same classification system used by the International Association for the Study of Pain. Every diagnosis is mapped to a specific, targeted treatment pathway.
- A specialist whose entire career is built on one question: what is actually causing this?
- Direct communication. If our scope is not the correct match for your condition, we will state that — and refer you to the appropriate specialist.
What to Consider Before Reaching Out
- This takes time. The answer you have been looking for was not found in a single appointment before, and it will not be found in one here. Diagnostic accuracy requires a full workup.
- We do not perform surgery. If your diagnosis requires it, you will be referred directly to the appropriate surgical specialist.
- Our recommendations come from published evidence, not trends or guesswork. We will not promise you an outcome we cannot deliver.
- We ask you to participate actively in the diagnostic process — keeping pain diaries, attending follow-ups, and engaging with the diagnostic protocol. Diagnosis is collaborative.
If you have been through the referral chain and still do not have an answer, this intake is the next step. If we determine that another provider is a better fit for your condition, we will tell you directly — and tell you where to go.
Investment & Insurance
Fee Schedule.
Diagnostic Consultation
$450 — $650
Comprehensive 90-minute initial evaluation including clinical examination, imaging review, and preliminary diagnostic classification. Exact fee depends on the complexity of your condition and diagnostic imaging required.
Insurance & Reimbursement
- We provide detailed superbills for out-of-network insurance reimbursement.
- Many PPO plans partially cover specialist consultations.
- Our office can assist with pre-authorization when applicable.
- HSA and FSA funds may be applied to diagnostic services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions.
Chronic TMJ pain typically results from biomechanical, neurological, and behavioral factors — including disc displacement, myofascial pain from muscle hyperactivity, arthritic degeneration, and parafunctional habits such as bruxism. The underlying cause determines the appropriate treatment approach.
Most patients who come here have already been treated for the wrong condition. The actual source — whether it is the joint, the muscles, or both — was never identified. We use advanced imaging and structured diagnostic criteria to pinpoint the source before recommending any treatment. Your treatment targets the cause, not the symptom.
Trigeminal neuralgia is diagnosed through a systematic process including detailed pain history, cranial nerve examination, quantitative sensory testing, and high-resolution MRI of the trigeminal nerve pathway to identify vascular compression or structural lesions.
The diagnostic challenge with trigeminal neuralgia is differentiating it from other conditions that cause facial pain — including TMD, postherpetic neuralgia, atypical odontalgia, and cluster headache. Our practice specializes in this differential diagnosis. We follow the International Classification of Orofacial Pain (ICOP) taxonomy to ensure accurate classification, which is essential because the treatment for trigeminal neuralgia differs fundamentally from the treatment for other orofacial pain conditions.
Your initial consultation spans 60–90 minutes and includes a complete medical and dental history review, comprehensive cranial nerve examination, jaw range-of-motion testing, intraoral assessment, and diagnostic imaging when indicated. You leave with a preliminary differential diagnosis.
We ask you to bring any prior imaging, treatment records, and provider notes to your appointment. This allows us to review what has already been attempted and identify gaps in the diagnostic workup. If advanced imaging is needed — such as cone beam CT for TMJ evaluation or MRI for neurological pathology — we obtain it on the same day whenever possible. Our goal is for you to leave with a clear understanding of the most likely diagnostic category and the next steps in the process.
We operate as an out-of-network provider and provide detailed superbills for partial PPO reimbursement. HSA and FSA funds may be applied. We recommend contacting your insurance carrier before your visit to understand your out-of-network specialist benefits.
Many patients receive partial reimbursement through their PPO plans. Our office assists with pre-authorization when applicable and provides all necessary documentation for your claim. The initial diagnostic consultation fee ranges from $450–$650 depending on the complexity of your condition and the diagnostic imaging required. While we do not directly bill insurance, our superbills include the CDT and ICD-10 codes needed for submission.
A thorough diagnostic workup — including advanced imaging, neurophysiological testing, and multidisciplinary case review — typically spans 3–6 weeks. Treatment duration depends on the identified root cause and your individual response to therapy.
We establish measurable milestones at the outset and track progress systematically at each follow-up appointment. The objective is a treatment plan with defined endpoints rather than temporary symptom suppression. For some conditions — such as certain neuropathic pain presentations — management may be ongoing, similar to other chronic neurological conditions. Expected timelines are stated at the outset. If another provider is a more appropriate match for your condition, we will state that directly.
SoCal TMJ and Headache specializes in temporomandibular disorders (TMD), neuropathic orofacial pain including trigeminal neuralgia and burning mouth syndrome, neurovascular conditions with orofacial involvement, and oral medicine conditions such as mucosal lesions and taste disturbances.
Every patient receives a complete diagnostic workup using the International Classification of Orofacial Pain (ICOP) taxonomy before any treatment begins. This includes conditions that are frequently misdiagnosed — such as atypical odontalgia (phantom tooth pain), persistent idiopathic facial pain, and tension-type headache with craniofacial referral. We do not offer surgical intervention; when surgery is indicated, we refer directly to the appropriate surgical specialist.
SoCal TMJ and Headache is a diagnostic specialist practice — not a general dental office or symptomatic pain clinic. We identify the root cause of your pain (musculoskeletal, neuropathic, neurovascular, or idiopathic) before initiating treatment, using international diagnostic standards and evidence-based guidelines.
Most patients here have already been to dentists, neurologists, ENTs, and pain clinics. The fundamental difference: we do not begin treatment until the cause has been identified. No "let's try this." No guessing. If your condition falls outside our scope, we will tell you directly and refer you to the right provider.
Patient Outcomes
What Happens When the Answer Is Found.
“After four years of seeing dentists, neurologists, and an ENT — all with different guesses — Dr. Chung was the first person to actually name what was wrong. The diagnosis changed everything.”
M.R.
Trigeminal neuralgia — diagnosed after negative MRIs
“I had two splints, a nightguard, and a round of physical therapy. None of it lasted. Dr. Chung identified that my pain was neuropathic, not TMJ. Completely different treatment path. Finally getting relief.”
J.K.
Atypical odontalgia — misdiagnosed as TMD for 3 years
“Every doctor I saw told me my imaging was normal. Dr. Chung found what they missed on the cone beam CT. The answer was there the whole time — no one was looking the right way.”
S.L.
Disc displacement without reduction — undiagnosed on prior MRI