TMJ doctors in The Woodlands, TX
5 published clinics and 4 attached clinicians in The Woodlands. Clinicians are listed on the clinic page only. An NPI taxonomy is not proof of TMJ services or board certification.
Listed ZIP codes: 77381, 77382, 77384. Nearby cities: Spring, Conroe, Tomball.
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Listings come from the federal NPI registry and clinic websites. How listings are verified →
What a TMJ provider does in The Woodlands
The Woodlands, Texas. It sits in the Southwest. The directory lists 5 organisations and 4 clinicians in The Woodlands — 9 records in total, and has a short list. The commonest NPI taxonomy here is oral and maxillofacial surgery, on 4 records. Linked-provider records covers another 1. 77381 alone holds 3 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 The Woodlands 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 The Woodlands list
Every entry below is an organisation in the federal NPI registry, carrying the address and phone number the registry holds. The listings cover 3 ZIP codes in The Woodlands. The rest are spread across 2 other ZIP codes in the city. 3 of the 5 organisations here have a clinician attached in the registry. 2 records have no attached clinician, which usually means the registry match did not resolve rather than that the office is empty. Every listing here carries a phone number from the federal registry. 4 listings carry published opening hours. 4 listings have coordinates on file, so those entries appear on the map. 4 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 The Woodlands 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 4 clinicians attached to The Woodlands 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
4185 Technology Forest Blvd, Suite 100, The Woodlands, TX, 77381 · 281-296-9562
- Martin Clark — Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (physician); 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: nppes:2026-11-08T06:53:26.)
- Brian Unterman — Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (physician); 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: nppes:2026-11-08T06:53:26.)
Northwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
4185 Technology Forest Blvd #100, The Woodlands, TX, 77381 · 281-367-2001
- Ryan Parnell — 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.)
Platinum Facial Surgical Group
10857 Kuykendahl Rd Ste 150, The Woodlands, TX, 77382 · 281-419-3223
No publicly attached clinician on this record.
Obsidian Management Group LLC
3117 College Park Dr Ste 150, The Woodlands, TX, 77384 · 936-231-8568
No publicly attached clinician on this record.
Woodlands Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
4850 W. Panther Creek Drive Suite 106, The Woodlands, TX, 77381 · 281-362-7170
- Luke Seng — 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 The Woodlands?
5 organization clinics and 4 attached clinicians are published for The Woodlands. 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
A TMJ doctor or orofacial pain provider the Woodlands patients search for is usually a dentist or physician who evaluates jaw-joint and chewing-muscle pain, but there is no single recognized "TMJ specialist" credential. The local directory lists 7 providers, all under the oral & maxillofacial surgery taxonomy and 0 under orofacial pain, spread across 4 ZIP codes. Most care starts with conservative treatment, and a clinician can check whether imaging or a referral makes sense.
What TMJ disorders are and when to get care
TMD is a group of more than 30 conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement, NIDCR notes. The term TMJ refers to the joint itself, one on each side of the face. Clicking or popping without pain is common and does not need treatment, but painful clicking, stiffness, limited opening, or locking can signal a disorder.
Symptoms that need prompt attention include a jaw that locks shut or open, facial swelling with fever, numbness, or recent trauma. Jaw pain with chest pain, shortness of breath, or arm pain should be treated as an emergency, because jaw pain can be a heart attack symptom.
Many people improve with simple steps: soft foods, heat or cold, over-the-counter NSAIDs, and reducing clenching or gum chewing, NIDCR notes. Experts recommend conservative care before treatments that permanently change the jaw, teeth, or bite.
TMJ care options listed in The Woodlands
The Woodlands directory currently includes 7 listings, all recorded under the oral & maxillofacial surgery taxonomy and none under the orofacial pain taxonomy. The listings cover 4 ZIP codes: 77380, 77381, 77382, and 77384. Taxonomy is self-reported in the federal NPI registry, so it describes how a provider registered, not a certification.
| Name | Specialty (NPPES taxonomy) | ZIP |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Unterman, DDS, MD | Oral & maxillofacial surgery | 77381 |
| Charles Repa, DDS | Oral & maxillofacial surgery | 77382 |
| Enrique Tabarini, DDS, MS | Oral & maxillofacial surgery | 77384 |
| Luke Seng, DDS | Oral & maxillofacial surgery | 77381 |
Because the local list has no orofacial pain entry, someone who wants that type of evaluation may need to ask about training or look at the wider Texas directory. The directory is a starting point, not a recommendation, so verify details with each office.
What a TMJ doctor search in The Woodlands actually finds
"TMJ specialist" is not a recognized credential. Orofacial pain is one of 12 dental specialties recognized by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards, and its scope includes pain disorders of the jaw, mouth, face, head, and neck. Oral and maxillofacial surgery is also a recognized dental specialty, focused on surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects in the oral and maxillofacial region.
The difference between the two is mostly scope. An orofacial pain provider often manages persistent muscle or joint pain; an oral surgeon handles trauma, joint damage, and surgical cases. The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that referral to oral and maxillofacial surgery is appropriate for refractory cases.
A practical way to choose:
- Write down your main symptom, how long it has lasted, and what makes it worse.
- Ask which type of clinician the office focuses on and how they evaluate jaw pain.
- Ask whether they try conservative care first and what they do if symptoms persist.
- Ask which imaging they order and who reviews it.
- Confirm insurance and referral rules before booking.
You can read more about this role in what an orofacial pain provider does.
What to expect at a first TMJ visit
There is no widely accepted standard test for TMD, so a first visit is mostly history and examination. A clinician may ask where the pain starts, when it appears, what eases it, and whether it spreads; then check tenderness, clicking, and how wide you can open. Imaging with x-ray, MRI, or CT may be suggested when the diagnosis is unclear or conservative care has not helped.
A physical therapist may also assess posture, breathing, and neck movement, then teach exercises and hands-on techniques. If you are comparing clinics, TMJ treatment near me explains common care types.
Insurance and cost questions in Texas
Texas Insurance Code Section 1360.004 says a health benefit plan that covers medically necessary diagnostic or surgical treatment of 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 statute allows normal plan rules such as precertification.
Coverage is not the same as a price quote. Section 1360.005 also says the chapter does not require a plan to provide dental services that are not otherwise part of the coverage. Ask whether a service would be billed under medical or dental benefits, whether imaging and appliances are covered, and what preauthorization the plan requires. Costs depend on the visit type, imaging, and procedure, so request a written estimate.
Nearby cities and next steps
If you widen the search, the directory also lists Spring (4 listings), Conroe (3), Tomball (2), Kingwood (4), and Humble (1). TMJ care in Spring is one option; none of these counts tells you which office is right for you, so compare how each one evaluates and treats jaw pain.
If you have red-flag symptoms, seek urgent care rather than waiting for a routine appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a TMJ doctor in The Woodlands?
There is no recognized "TMJ specialist" credential, so the better question is which clinician evaluates and treats jaw pain. The Woodlands directory lists 7 providers, all under the oral & maxillofacial surgery taxonomy.
How many TMJ-related providers are listed in The Woodlands?
The directory lists 7, with 0 under the orofacial pain taxonomy and 7 under oral & maxillofacial surgery. They cover 4 ZIP codes. Those counts describe the registry snapshot, not quality or availability.
Do I need a referral to see an oral surgeon in The Woodlands?
Referral rules depend on your plan and the office. Some plans require a referral or precertification before surgical care; others do not. Ask the office and your insurer before you book.
Does Texas law require TMJ coverage?
Section 1360.004 requires comparable coverage for medically necessary TMJ diagnostic or surgical treatment in health benefit plans that cover skeletal joints, when the cause is an accident, trauma, congenital defect, developmental defect, or pathology. Section 1360.005 explains that the chapter does not require dental services to be added if they are not otherwise covered. Plan rules still apply.
What should I do if my jaw locks?
A jaw that locks shut or open, or locks repeatedly, deserves prompt medical or dental evaluation. If there is facial swelling with fever, numbness, or trauma, seek urgent or emergency care. Do not force the jaw open.
Can a dentist treat TMJ problems?
Dentists often evaluate jaw pain and may provide conservative care such as a splint, habit changes, or a referral. The right setting depends on whether the problem is mainly muscular, joint-related, or needs surgical review.
References
- TMD | NIDCR — National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
- Temporomandibular disorder - NHS — NHS
- Guide | Physical Therapy Guide to Temporomandibular Disorder | Choose PT — American Physical Therapy Association
- Recognized Dental Specialties | National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards — NCRDSCB
- Temporomandibular Disorders: Rapid Evidence Review | AFP — American Academy of Family Physicians
- Texas Insurance Code Section 1360.004 – Coverage Required — Texas Public Law
- Texas Insurance Code Section 1360.005 – Dental Services Coverage Not Required — Texas Public Law
Medical disclaimer
This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Do not use it to diagnose or treat a jaw problem; contact a clinician or emergency service for personal care.
Reviewed by the tmjspecialistguide.com editorial team · Last updated 2026-11-01.