TMJ doctors in Spring, TX
2 published clinics and 2 attached clinicians in Spring. Clinicians are listed on the clinic page only. An NPI taxonomy is not proof of TMJ services or board certification.
Listed ZIP codes: 77379. Nearby cities: Tomball, The Woodlands, Cypress.
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Listings come from the federal NPI registry and clinic websites. How listings are verified →
What a TMJ provider does in Spring
Spring, Texas. It sits in the Southwest. The directory lists 2 organisations and 2 clinicians in Spring — 4 records in total, and has only a handful of listed records. The commonest NPI taxonomy here is linked-provider records, on 2 records. 77379 alone holds 2 of them. The temporomandibular joint is the hinge where the lower jaw meets the skull, with a cartilage disc between the bones and the closing muscles attached to the mandible. Jaw pain, clicking and locking usually come from that joint or those muscles rather than from the teeth themselves. Providers who treat it in Spring work out of practices listed in this city, and the taxonomy on the registry record is the only specialisation the registry itself records.
How to use the Spring list
Every entry below is an organisation in the federal NPI registry, carrying the address and phone number the registry holds. The listings cover 1 ZIP code in Spring. Every listed address sits in the same ZIP code. Every listed organisation on this page has at least one clinician attached in the registry, so you can see a name before you call. Every listing here carries a phone number from the federal registry. 2 listings carry published opening hours. 2 listings have coordinates on file, so every entries appear on the map. 2 listings publish a website address, printed as plain text rather than a link so the directory does not sell traffic. A clinician appears under an organisation only when the registry points the same phone, street, ZIP or name at both records. That is a registry match, not a verified employment history.
What to ask when you call a Spring office
The registry records what an organisation is, not what it treats, so one phone call settles most questions. Ask whether the practice sees jaw joint and orofacial pain problems, whether they take patients referred for a TMJ assessment, and what a first visit involves. With 2 clinicians attached to Spring records, you can name the person you are asking about before you call. Ask about insurance before you go: TMJ treatment runs through dental, medical and surgical routes, and Texas coverage follows the plan rather than the procedure. If the office says it does not treat TMJ disorders, the state page still lists every Texas organisation, and the near-me finder works from your own location or a ZIP code.
Northwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
8687 Louetta Rd Suite 100, Spring, TX, 77379 · 281-370-4034
- Steven Balandran — Dentist – Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (physician) (NPPES lists the same phone, full street, and ZIP for this person and this organization. That is a shared registry address, not confirmation that the person works at the clinic. Source: gmaps:2026-11-08+nppes.)
Spring-Klein Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
21301 Kuykendahl Rd Ste G, Spring, TX, 77379 · 281-547-0839
- Michael Sitters — Dentist – Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (NPPES lists the same phone, full street, and ZIP for this person and this organization. That is a shared registry address, not confirmation that the person works at the clinic. Source: gmaps:2026-11-08+nppes.)
Other cities
How many published clinics are in Spring?
2 organization clinics and 2 attached clinicians are published for Spring. A clinician is counted once even if more than one record points at the same person.
Does a taxonomy label mean the clinic treats TMJ disorders?
No. The NPI taxonomy is self-reported. It does not prove which conditions a clinic treats, and it is not board certification.
Quick answer
Searching for a "TMJ specialist" in Spring, Texas, usually starts with understanding who can diagnose jaw pain and map a care path. A temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a group of more than 30 conditions that cause pain or dysfunction in the jaw joint and chewing muscles. Spring's directory lists 4 oral and maxillofacial surgery practices and 0 orofacial pain listings. Many people improve with simple, reversible steps first.
TMJ care options listed in Spring, TX
Spring's directory is built from the federal NPI registry, so each entry reflects a self-reported taxonomy rather than a ranking. All 4 Spring listings are filed under oral and maxillofacial surgery, and none are filed under the orofacial pain taxonomy (NPI 1223X2210X). The listings cover 2 ZIP codes, 77379 and 77386.
| Name | Specialty (NPPES taxonomy) | ZIP |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal Sorensen Morris, DDS | Oral & maxillofacial surgery | 77386 |
| Daniel Williams, DDS | Oral & maxillofacial surgery | 77379 |
| Michael Sitters, DDS | Oral & maxillofacial surgery | 77379 |
| Steven Balandran, DDS, MD | Oral & maxillofacial surgery | 77379 |
A taxonomy entry shows how a clinician registered with NPPES; it is not a board certification and does not confirm training in TMD care. NIDCR notes that TMDs affect about 5% of adults in the U.S. and are about twice as common in women, especially between 35 and 44. For nonsurgical care, patients in Spring often look beyond this list to general dentists, physical therapists, and orofacial pain clinics in the wider Houston area. The Texas directory hub shows what is listed in other cities.
What "TMJ specialist" means for care in Spring, TX
There is no recognized "TMJ specialist" credential in dentistry. Orofacial Pain is a recognized dental specialty, and the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards lists 12 dental specialties, including Orofacial Pain and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. A practice may still use "TMJ" in its name or advertising, but that wording is not a specialty title. This guide explains what an orofacial pain provider does and how that role differs from a general dentist.
For persistent cases, the American Family Physician review states that referral to oral and maxillofacial surgery is indicated for refractory cases. NIDCR suggests seeking a second opinion from an orofacial pain provider before irreversible treatment such as surgery or procedures that permanently change the teeth, bite, or jaw joint.
How to choose a TMJ doctor or orofacial pain provider
Start with the problem, not the title. Muscle pain, headaches, and clicking without locking may be managed by a general dentist or physical therapist. Surgical questions, trauma, or joint damage may call for an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Before booking, work through these steps:
- Write down when the pain starts, what makes it worse, and whether your jaw locks, clicks, or catches.
- Ask how the clinician will rule out dental, sinus, and nerve causes before treating TMD.
- Ask which options are reversible and which permanently change your teeth, bite, or joint.
- Confirm who will coordinate care if imaging, physical therapy, or surgery is needed.
- Request the billing codes and a written estimate before scheduling any procedure.
A clinician's NPI taxonomy is a starting point, not a scorecard. If a plan of care sounds permanent or urgent, a second opinion is reasonable, especially before surgery or bite changes.
What to expect at a first TMJ visit
There is no widely accepted standard test for TMD, so a first visit is mostly conversation and physical examination. A clinician will ask where the pain is, when it appears, what makes it better or worse, and whether it spreads to the face, neck, or head. They may press around the jaw, watch how wide you can open, and listen for clicking or grating. Cleveland Clinic notes that TMD often starts between the ages of 20 and 40, though it can appear at other ages.
Opening less than 30 to 35 mm is one sign clinicians check, according to the American Family Physician review. Imaging such as dental X-rays, CT, or MRI may be suggested when the diagnosis is unclear or conservative care is not helping. Bring a list of medicines, past dental work, and any history of jaw injury or grinding.
Seek urgent medical care if your jaw is locked open or shut, you have facial swelling with fever, numbness, or a recent injury, or you have chest pain with jaw pain. Those signs need prompt evaluation rather than a routine dental appointment.
Insurance and cost questions for Spring patients
Texas has a specific rule for group health plans that cover other skeletal joints. Under Texas Insurance Code Section 1360.004, a plan that provides medically necessary diagnostic or surgical treatment for conditions affecting skeletal joints must provide comparable coverage for the temporomandibular joint when treatment is medically necessary because of an accident, trauma, a congenital defect, a developmental defect, or a pathology. The chapter applies to certain group health benefit plans under Section 1360.002, and Section 1360.003 lists exceptions such as workers' compensation and Medicare supplemental policies.
Coverage is not the same as payment approval. Section 1360.005 says the chapter does not require a plan to provide dental services if dental services are not otherwise part of the coverage, and Section 1360.004 allows coverage to be subject to plan rules such as precertification. Medicare generally does not cover routine dental services, so ask whether a recommended service is billed as medical or dental. For more on the medical-dental split, see TMJ treatment cost and insurance questions.
Other Texas cities for TMJ care
Spring sits in a region with several other directory cities. The Woodlands has 7 listings, Cypress has 8, Tomball has 2, Kingwood has 4, and Humble has 1. Patients willing to travel can compare those lists, starting with TMJ doctors in The Woodlands. Each city page follows the same NPPES taxonomy format used here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a "TMJ specialist" in Spring, TX?
Spring's directory does not list any practice under the orofacial pain taxonomy. It lists 4 oral and maxillofacial surgery practices. A general dentist, physical therapist, or primary care clinician may be a better first call for nonsurgical care.
How many TMJ-related listings are in Spring?
The directory currently shows 4 listings for Spring, all filed under oral and maxillofacial surgery. None are filed under the orofacial pain taxonomy.
Which ZIP codes do the Spring listings cover?
The 4 listings cover 2 ZIP codes: 77379 and 77386, as shown in the table above.
Does Texas insurance cover TMJ surgery?
Texas Insurance Code Section 1360.004 requires certain group health plans that cover other skeletal joints to provide comparable coverage for medically necessary TMJ diagnostic or surgical treatment tied to accident, trauma, congenital defect, developmental defect, or pathology. Ask your plan whether the service is covered and whether precertification is required.
Do I need a referral to see an oral and maxillofacial surgeon?
Not necessarily, but a referral can help with insurance and records. Some plans require precertification for surgical treatment, and a dentist or physician can send imaging and notes.
What if my jaw is locked or my face is swollen?
A jaw that is locked open or shut, facial swelling with fever, numbness, or a recent injury needs prompt medical attention. Chest pain with jaw pain should be treated as an emergency. Do not wait for a routine dental appointment.
Are there orofacial pain providers listed near Spring?
The Spring list has none under that taxonomy, but nearby directory cities may. Compare the counts for The Woodlands and Cypress, or ask your dentist for a referral.
References
- TMD | NIDCR — NIDCR
- TMJ Disorders: Symptoms & Treatment — Cleveland Clinic
- Temporomandibular Disorders: Rapid Evidence Review | AFP — AAFP
- Recognized Dental Specialties | National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards — NCRDSCB
- Texas Insurance Code Section 1360.004 – Coverage Required — Texas Public Law
- Texas Insurance Code Section 1360.002 – Applicability of Chapter — Texas Public Law
- Dental service coverage — Medicare.gov
Medical disclaimer
This page is for general information and is not medical advice. Talk with a qualified clinician about your symptoms, and seek emergency care for urgent red flags.
Reviewed by the tmjspecialistguide.com editorial team · Last updated 2026-11-01.