“I have had sich a great experience seeing Dr. Bergin. When other offices have told me I just had muscle damage or the only thing they could do for me was give shots, he said he had others ways to manage my pain and numbness, along with improving mobility. And he was right! I feel so much better! With such friendly staff and welcoming office environment, it makes for an amazing experience. I'll definitely continue seeing him!”
Condition
TMJ Treatment
in Lakeland and The Villages, FL
Jaw pain, clicking and a mouth that will not open the way it used to. We treat the muscles and joints around it, and we coordinate with your dentist rather than competing with them.
- Omniwave shockwave on site
- 22 years in practice
- $47 new-patient exam
Medically reviewed by Dr. Justin Bergin, DC Updated September 18, 2026
Quick summary
TMJ describes pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that move it. Chewing hurts, the joint clicks, and the mouth opens less far than it did. ChiroMed treats the muscular and joint side of the problem with Omniwave shockwave therapy and hands-on care. We do not make splints or perform dental work. The first visit is $47.
Understanding TMJ
The temporomandibular joint sits just in front of each ear. It hinges and slides at the same time, on both sides at once, which is unusual for a joint. Overload the muscles that control it and you get pain and clicking. If the disc inside it stops tracking properly, the mouth will not open as far as it did.
Two structures cause most of the trouble: the muscles that move the jaw, and the joint itself. The upper neck sits alongside both.
Those muscles refer pain into the temple, the ear and the side of the face. That is why so many people with jaw pain are convinced they have an ear infection.
How it works
The muscles that do the clenching
The masseter, temporalis and the pterygoids clench overnight and fatigue like any overworked muscle.
The disc inside the joint
A small fibrous disc glides between the bones as you open. If it stops tracking properly you get the click, and if it catches you get the lock.
The upper neck alongside both
The upper neck shares nerve pathways with the jaw, and is frequently restricted in the same patients.
Why is jaw pain so hard to get away from?
Jaw pain is exhausting in a way that is hard to explain to anyone who has not had it, because you cannot rest a jaw.
You use it to eat, to talk, to swallow and to sleep, so it never gets a day off.
Why did the night guard only half work?
Most people arrive at ChiroMed having already been told to try a night guard. They bought one, and it helped a little without fixing the problem.
That is often because the guard addresses the clenching while the loaded muscle and the irritated joint carry on.
So which part of it do we treat?
The jaw joint behaves like any other overloaded tissue in the body, and that is the part we treat.
Dr. Justin Bergin, DC examines the jaw and the upper neck together, since they rarely misbehave separately.
Independent background: TMD, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
Symptoms
Most people recognize their own version somewhere in this list. Each one maps to a specific finding the examination checks for.
- Pain in front of the ear when chewing
- Clicking or popping when the mouth opens
- A jaw that catches, or locks briefly
- Limited opening, or opening off to one side
- Ear pain with no ear infection
- Aching in the temple or the cheek
- Facial muscles that fatigue during a meal
- Waking with a sore, tight jaw
- Neck stiffness traveling with the jaw pain
Common causes
Clenching and grinding
Most of it happens overnight, which is why people are surprised to be told they do it. Hours of sustained contraction load both the muscle and the joint.
Disc displacement inside the joint
The small disc between the bones stops tracking cleanly as the jaw opens. That produces the click, and when it catches, the lock that frightens people.
A change in how the bite loads
New dental work, a missing tooth, or years of chewing on one side alter how the two joints share the work. The joint doing more eventually says so.
Trauma and whiplash
A blow to the jaw or a collision that snapped the head forward can change joint mechanics long afterwards. Jaw symptoms months after a crash are worth mentioning.
Arthritic change in the joint
Like any joint, the jaw can develop degenerative change with time. That presents as grinding rather than clicking, with stiffness worst first thing.
Upper cervical dysfunction
The top of the neck and the jaw share nerve pathways and postural control. Restricted cervical motion keeps the jaw musculature working harder all day.
How we treat TMJ in Lakeland and The Villages
Care targets the soft tissue that has been overloaded and the joints that have stopped moving well, jaw and neck together. Omniwave shockwave is applied to the muscular structures around the joint, with hands-on work restoring motion and reducing the load those muscles carry.
Omniwave shockwave therapy for the jaw musculature
Acoustic pressure waves delivered by the Omniwave unit into the masseter and temporalis, aimed at tissue chronically loaded and no longer responding to rest. Sessions are short and you can eat normally afterwards.
Chiropractic care for the upper cervical spine
The top of the neck and the jaw work as a unit. Restoring rotation and extension takes measurable work off the jaw musculature, which is often the difference between a result that holds and one that fades.
Soft tissue therapy for the muscles of mastication
Targeted manual work through the masseter, temporalis and surrounding fascia, including the tender points that refer into the ear. Most patients notice opening range improve within the session.
Available at our 2 locations
Treatment at our Lakeland office, and also at:
What recovery usually looks like
Examination of jaw and neck together Your first two visits
Opening range measured, joint tracking assessed, tender points mapped, upper cervical spine examined. The findings tell you which structures are involved.
Settling the overloaded muscle The opening weeks
Early work targets the overloaded musculature, where relief comes quickest. Opening range is remeasured each visit, giving you a number rather than a feeling.
Retesting your opening range At a set checkpoint in the plan
Opening range and pain on chewing are compared with the baseline. Where the numbers have not moved, the plan changes or you are referred to a dentist or oral specialist.
Keeping the load off long term After the first block of care
Attention turns to the habits that reload the joint: chewing side, gum, stress clenching and sleep. Some patients hold a periodic visit through stressful stretches.
When to seek care sooner
Some of the most effective things for a jaw are free and immediate. Give it a rest period: soft food for a week or two, no gum, no ice, no tearing at crusty bread.
Do not open wide to yawn. Alternate heat on the muscle with brief cold on the joint.
Chew on both sides deliberately, because favoring one side is usually what started it.
Keep the tongue on the roof of your mouth with the teeth apart during the day, which switches off a surprising amount of daytime clenching.
A few jaw symptoms need seeing right away. Get seen that week if the jaw locks shut, if your face swells with a fever, or if your bite changes after an injury. New numbness in the face counts too.
Jaw or left-sided facial pain arriving with chest pain, breathlessness or arm pain is a cardiac emergency. Call 911.
Cost, insurance and financing
What jaw care costs depends on how much of the plan is hands-on chiropractic work and how much is the Omniwave shockwave protocol. The two are paid for differently. The first visit is $47, covering the consultation, examination, X-rays if needed and the report of findings.
The one published price
Consultation, Exam, X-Rays (If Needed) & Report of Findings: Only $47
What affects the cost
- Whether the muscular side, the joint side or both are driving the symptom
- How many Omniwave sessions the examination suggests
- Whether the upper cervical spine needs treating alongside the jaw
What a course includes
- Jaw and cervical examination, opening range measurement and the report of findings
- Remeasurement of opening range as the plan progresses
Payment:
Omniwave shockwave therapy is self-pay. Chiropractic care bills insurance, and your benefits are verified before the first visit. Medicare coverage varies by plan and by service, so ask the front desk to confirm yours.
Who you would be seeing
Who examines the jaw, and what else gets looked at?
Dr. Justin Bergin, DC has 22 years in practice. He examines the jaw and the upper neck as one system, because they almost never go wrong separately.
Where does this practice stop and a dentist start?
He is equally clear about the boundary. ChiroMed treats muscle and joint mechanics, and dentistry belongs to dentists.
How much time does a jaw complaint get?
He built the practice to reject the rushed-appointment model. For a jaw complaint that means measuring opening range properly and tracking it.
Dr. Justin Bergin, DC, 22 years in practice, performs the examination personally and explains the findings before any program starts. Lakeland: 6595 Florida Ave S, Suite 13, Lakeland. The Villages market office: 929 US-441 #404, Lady Lake. Both offices run the same program.
Getting to us
How do Polk County patients reach the Lakeland office?
Lakeland patients reach the South Florida Avenue office from Highland City, Scott Lake, Southgate, Lakeside Village and the Harden Boulevard corridor. It is a straightforward run off the Polk Parkway.
Bonnet Springs Park and Joker Marchant Stadium sit further north in the city.
What if the Lady Lake office is closer?
The Lady Lake office is on North US-441 just above CR 466, convenient from Spanish Springs, Brownwood Paddock Square, Oxford, Wildwood and Fruitland Park.
Villages patients in Sumter, Lake and Marion counties who are mid-flare appreciate how short that trip is.
Browse every condition on the conditions we treat index.
From the ChiroMed Journal
Longer reading on this subject, written by the practice rather than bought in.
- Why Your Jaw and Neck Keep Flaring at the Same Time
Jaw tension and neck tightness usually share a driver. Here is how the two regions load each other, what an exam looks for, and where your dentist takes over.
TMJ in recent research
These sources are independent of this practice and none of them endorses it. They are listed so the reasoning behind the care can be checked rather than taken on trust.
- Temporomandibular Disorders: Priorities for Research and Care
The national report on temporomandibular disorders, which calls for conservative and reversible care first and warns against irreversible procedures.
- Conservative and Minimally Invasive Interventions for Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Pools randomized trials of splints, exercise and manual therapy for jaw disorders, which is the evidence behind the muscular half of this plan.
Options compared, honestly
This is treated very differently depending on who you walk in to see. Here is the full set, including the options this practice does not provide.
| Option | What it is | Typically considered when | Invasive? | Offered at ChiroMed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omniwave shockwave with hands-on care Our approach | Acoustic wave therapy to loaded muscle, with manual release and cervical care alongside | Muscular overload and restricted motion are driving the symptom | No. Nothing injected, nothing cut | Yes, at both offices |
| Occlusal splint or night guard | A custom appliance worn at night to protect teeth and reduce clenching load | Night-time grinding is confirmed and tooth wear needs protecting | No | Not made here. Appropriate when a dentist confirms grinding, and we will happily work alongside one |
| Anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxant medication | Medication to reduce inflammation or relax the musculature short term | Pain is acute and limiting while other care takes effect | No, though the effects are systemic | Not prescribed here. Appropriate under your physician for short-term symptom control |
| Corticosteroid injection into the joint | Steroid placed inside the joint capsule | Inflammatory joint pain persists despite conservative care | Yes. Needle-based procedure | Not performed here. Appropriate when an oral and maxillofacial specialist judges inflammation is the driver |
| Jaw surgery or arthroscopy | Arthroscopic or open surgery on the joint | Structural joint disease is confirmed and conservative care has failed | Yes. Surgery on a small and complex joint | Not performed here. Appropriate for confirmed structural joint disease after conservative care has failed |
ChiroMed does not make splints, adjust a bite or perform dental work of any kind. If grinding, tooth wear or bite mechanics are part of your problem, your dentist owns that half. We are glad to work alongside them.
What to expect
From evaluation to a plan for your TMJ
A course, not a single visit. The examination decides the length and the cost, and both are written down first.
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01Evaluation
Orthopedic and neurological testing, with imaging on site where it changes the plan.
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02Findings, in plain language
What the examination actually found, and honestly whether this is a case conservative care can help at all.
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03A written program
Which disciplines, how many visits, over what period, and what it costs. Decided before anything begins.
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04Reassessment as it runs
Function is re-measured through the course. If the response says the plan should change, it changes.
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Find out what is actually driving it before choosing a program.
“Dr. Bergin was instrumental in relieving my back pain which I had for many years. The techniques he used on relieving my back pain were impressive. I been going to chiropractors for years and Dr. Bergin is the best. Thank You Dr. Bergin :)”
“Took a good amount of time going over my preliminary results and going over potential care plan. Great adjustment and doesn’t sugarcoat when discussing. Would recommend”
“The environment is incredible at this office with the staff and also both doctors are extremely friendly and great at what they do”
“Amazing, Super friendly and talented Staff and Doctors! My back was a hot mess after a semi hit my car on my first day moving to Florida. But after going through the treatment program I was able to get my neck, my back and my life in alignment. It was a total transformation. Thank You New City Chiropractic!”
“Hands down the best chiropractic office out there! They are super friendly and make me feel comfortable to tell then what’s wrong. They always ensure the best treatment for their patients!”
“I absolutely love this place , it is like going to visit family. They are always so pleasant , happy , and professional. I always enjoy seeing the ladies , they always put a smile on my face and even if I am having a bad day. The doctors are always so friendly and concerned with my well being. I actually look forward to going there and miss them on the days that I don't go.”
“I only wish it was closer. You are welcome it's definitely a compliment and I have read the great comments people made about the facility and staff! Amen Open one in Auburndale please!!”
“HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend coming here if you have any pains in your back or neck!! These guys are AMAZING at what they do!! Just a few months into coming here, I feel a change in the way I walk, the way my head sits on my shoulders, and I just feel GREAT; ALL THE TIME!! Crazy what some little adjustments did for me!!”
“This is an awesome chiropractic!! They are all nice and kind! Ever Since I have been adjusting my back, I don't need to take medicine before I go to bed. Also, I have been sleeping without waking up in the middle of the night because of the pain!! I really recommend the chiropractic 😊”
“Dr. Bergin at Chiromed Wellness Centers is the best chiropractor in town. I no longer have to take pain meds. If you still have pain, you’re not seeing to best chiropractor.”
“Love this place!! Cynthia and Angie are amazing! So nice and helpful!! The chiropractor’s are also amazing!! Just a great place overall! I highly recommended it!!”
“Look them up I waited so long to see a chiropractor and I found this place and am so happy that I did . Love the Drs they are so helpful and make feel like family.”
“The staff is super friendly and they walked me through the whole process. I’ve been going for a few weeks now and I’m already feeling results! The treatment the offer is very hands on and informative. I’ve never had manual adjustments until coming to this office and the staff makes you feel comfortable and takes care of your needs. Highly recommend !”
“The best Chiropractic center in South lakeland! love it here the Doctors are very urged to help with any of your needs, the beautiful assistants are nice and helpful they really make you feel welcomed. Most highly recommended Chiropractic Center. :)”
“Muy profesional la atención es formidable todos los empleados son muy amigables.Y muy efectiva sus terapias..Los recomiendo 100x100%”
“My pain has decreased dramatically, I’m no longer stretching and moving my neck in every angle trying to find relief. Every part of my body I can feel is finally getting closer to symmetry! All I can say is you should give new city a try!”
“I love this place!! They're very caring for their patients and strive to help you feel better. I strongly recommend giving them a try. I promise you won't regret it”
“The staff is very knowledgeable and organized, they get to know you and are flexible about fitting your treatment in to your life. They use proven methods to treat the root of your issues and the results are incredible. I was in a lot of pain after a car crash and within a few weeks I was able to go back to my normal routine with no discomfort.”
“I have seen and feel the change in my body since I started, I use to have major pain in my knees and neck ache. I'm an athlete and constantly need more adjustments, and every time I come I always without a doubt feel welcomed and important.”
Get in touch
Schedule your TMJ evaluation
Tell us what you are feeling and which office is closer. The front desk answers during office hours; leave a message after hours and they call back the next open day.
- 1
Send the form
Two minutes. Tell us what hurts and which office is closer.
- 2
We call you back
A real person, during office hours, to find a time that works.
- 3
Exam and answers
History, orthopedic and neurological testing, imaging on site when it changes the plan.
- $47 consultation, exam, X-rays if needed and report of findings
- Payment plans available on the self-pay programs
- 4.8 out of 5 from 225 Google reviews
- Choose Lakeland or The Villages on the form
TMJ questions
Tap a message for the honest answer. Call Lakeland (863) 940-3444
What kind of doctor should I see for TMJ?
It depends which half of the problem you have. A dentist owns bite mechanics, grinding and appliances.
A chiropractor or manual therapist addresses the muscular and joint side, and the neck that usually travels with it. An oral and maxillofacial specialist handles structural joint disease.
Plenty of people need two of the three.
Can a chiropractor help TMJ?
Where the driver is muscular overload or restricted joint motion, which covers a large share of cases, hands-on care and shockwave therapy help meaningfully.
Where the driver is a bite problem or advanced degenerative disease inside the joint, it will not, and the examination is what separates those.
Does TMJ go away on its own?
A lot of short-lived jaw pain settles with rest, soft food and time, and it is reasonable to try that for a week or two.
Some things do not settle on their own. Pain that has run for months, a joint that clicks with a catch, or a mouth that opens less far than it did.
Is there any downside to shockwave therapy?
The common effects are mild and short-lived: some tenderness in the treated area, occasionally slight redness, usually gone within a day.
It is not appropriate over certain areas or for some medical conditions, which is why the examination and history come first rather than the device.
Is shockwave therapy worth the money?
It is worth it when the examination shows a genuine soft-tissue target and you want to avoid injections or surgery. It is not worth it as a general jaw remedy applied without a finding.
If your jaw is not a good fit for it, you will be told that instead of sold a course.
Will insurance pay for TMJ treatment here?
The chiropractic portion bills insurance and the front desk verifies your benefits beforehand. Omniwave shockwave therapy is cash pay.
Medicare coverage varies by plan and by service, so ask us to check your policy specifically before anything is scheduled.
Same-week appointments
Start with an examination, not a package.
Find out what is actually driving it before choosing a program.
- 4.8 out of 5 on Google
Consultation, Exam, X-Rays (If Needed) & Report of Findings: Only $47