TMJ & Sleep Treatment in Scottsdale & Payson, AZ

You are not
imagining it.

The jaw pain. The headaches. The neck pain that won’t resolve. The jaw that clicks or locks. The ringing in your ears. You have been to provider after provider. And you are still suffering. There is a reason — and there is an answer.

Do You Experience Any of These?

Dr. Patrice Winterholler

The jaw, the muscles,
the joint. All three
in homeostasis.

TMJ dysfunction is not simply a tooth problem — it is a structural problem. Most of the time, because of inadequate craniofacial development, the lower jaw is locked back in the posterior joint space. We can see this joint position and structural problem on the CT scan.

Dr. Patrice Winterholler has spent her career understanding that relationship and treating it at its root.

Her approach begins with objective measurement — not guesswork. Using Myotronics K7 diagnostics, TENS EMG muscle relaxation, and computerized jaw tracking, she finds where your bite actually belongs — independent of where your teeth happen to meet — and builds treatment from that foundation.

"We don't manage TMJ pain. We resolve it — by finding where the jaw belongs in the joint space with TENS and K7 muscle EMG measurements and we give the mandible the space that it needs."

The Three Pillars of TMJ Resolution

Teeth. Muscles. Joint. All three must agree.

Most providers treat one pillar and ignore the others. That is why so many patients have tried appliance after appliance with no
lasting relief. True resolution requires all three to be in balance simultaneously.

The Teeth

Where your teeth meet determines where your jaw sits. If that position is wrong — even slightly — the muscles must constantly
compensate. Over time, that compensation becomes pain.

The Muscles

Tense, overworked jaw muscles are the source of most TMJ pain. We use TENS therapy and EMG muscle measurement to relax and objectively assess muscle health before any treatment begins.

The Joint

The temporomandibular joint itself — where the jaw connects to the skull — must be properly seated. Computerized jaw tracking shows us exactly where the joint sits and where it needs to be.

How We Diagnose

Objective measurement. Not guesswork.

Most TMJ diagnosis relies on palpation and patient-reported symptoms. Dr. Patrice uses computerized technology to measure what is actually happening — objectively, repeatably, and precisely. This is the foundation of treatment that actually works.

These Myotronics K7 EMG readings show the measurable difference in muscle activity before and after orthotic treatment — objective evidence of what proper jaw positioning achieves.

Myotronics K7 System

Computerized jaw tracking, EMG muscle measurement, and electrosonography — the gold standard in neuromuscular dentistry diagnostics.

TENS Neuromuscular
Relaxation

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation relaxes the jaw muscles to their true physiologic rest position — so we can measure where the jaw belongs without muscular interference.

Computerized Jaw
Tracking

Tracks the precise movement of your jaw in three dimensions — revealing deviations, deflections, and asymmetries that cannot be detected by eye or feel alone.

The Treatment

The MORA —
custom 3D milled.
Lower arch only.

Once we know where your jaw needs to be, we fabricate a custom Mandibular Orthopedic Repositioning Appliance (MORA) — a precision 3D milled orthotic worn on the lower arch that holds your jaw in its correct physiologic position.

The MORA is worn on the lower arch only — never the upper. Upper arch appliances push the mandible backward, which is the opposite of what TMJ patients need. This is a critical distinction that most providers miss.

What makes the MORA different

The TMJ–Sleep Connection

If you're grinding at night — your airway is fighting.

Nighttime clenching and grinding is rarely a stress habit. In most cases it is a survival response — the body
grinding to keep the airway open as it collapses during sleep. Neck pain is a tell-tale sign.

Treating the TMJ without addressing the airway leaves half the problem unsolved. Dr. Patrice evaluates both — and treats both.

Who We Help

If you've tried everything else — try this.

The Chronic Sufferer

Years of pain, no lasting answer.

You have seen neurologists, chiropractors, physical therapists, and dentists. You have worn night guards that helped a little, then stopped. You need someone who will measure what is actually happening and treat from there.

The Grinder

Worn teeth, broken
restorations, neck pain.

Nighttime clenching and grinding is destroying your teeth and your sleep. The grinding is a symptom — of a jaw that isn’t where it belongs, and often an airway that’s struggling at night. We address both.

The Post-Menopausal Patient

New jaw laxity, disrupted sleep,
exhaustion.

Hormonal changes cause structural and muscular jaw laxity — the jaw falls open at night, the airway narrows, and sleep quality plummets. A small, discreet lower appliance can change everything. Medicare-covered options available.

Patient Story

David L.

TMJ Treatment · Payson

“My TMJ pain of 12 years is gone. I wish I had found this practice a decade ago.”

Karen M.

TMJ & Headache Treatment · Scottsdale

“After years of headaches every single morning, I finally wake up without pain. Dr.Patrice found what no one else could.”

the pain is real. the solution i shere

Your Deserve To Live
Without Pain

Consultations are always complimentary. Tell us your history — the providers you’ve seen, the appliances you’ve tried, what helps and what doesn’t. We’ll build from there.