ABOUT
The Portland TMJ Clinic is Dr. John Summer's research-based specialty dental practice that has been limited to treatment of TMJ disorders and obstructive sleep apnea in downtown Portland Oregon for more than four decades. Compared to other TMJ clinics, we stand out for our innovations that include a new understanding of the bite based on orthopedic function and joint physiology, recognizing the role of facial growth in the cause and treatment of TMJ disorders, incorporating the mandible into the analysis and treatment of body posture, and new technologies for more effective oral appliance treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Summer understands these topics and feels a duty to explain. We also stand out for our policy of transparency - everything we do is explained along with costs and rationales on this website and in our handouts.
DR. SUMMER'S RESEARCH - began with the anthropology of the TMJs and the jaw system in an effort to learn why tribal people still eating relatively unprocessed foods do not suffer from TMJ disorders or strained bites like we do.The focus soon extended to facial growth, because people aren't born with these disorders, - people grow into them, so it was apparent that facial growth was at their root cause. Dr. Summer visited museums to study the craniofacial skeletons of our recent ancestors from just two or three hundred years ago, just before industrialized food. It was easy to see how their bites stimulated and supported stable symmetrical facial growth, while our bites commonly prevent our jawbones from achieving symmetry, harmony, and an adequate airway space.
Dr. Summer's subsequent research focused on the anatomy and physiology of the TMJ articular disks, the location and condition of which usually determines appropriate clinical treatment. His study of 119 joints with MRI before and after treatment was published in 1997.
Dr. Summer's most recent research has been focused on developing and testing new and more effective oral appliance treatments for obstructive sleep apnea. These treatments are now in the FDA's 510 K process, with the final study being conducted now in denture patients and with expected clearance in 2025.
PRACTICE PHILOSOPHY - Applying the same orthopedic principles to the jawbones and TMJs that we apply to bones and joints in other parts of the body enables us to provide effective symptomatic treatment while incorporating facial growth enables us to also prevent the symptoms from returning after treatment. We offer a wide variety of orthopedic treatments to accommodate the wide variety of TMJ disorder types and the facial growth patterns ultimately responsible for them.
GENERAL DENTISTRY - We perform no general dentistry, therefore you need to have your own general dentist to be sure your gums and teeth are healthy. A toothache or inflamed gums can trigger the same type of reflex jaw muscle tightening that a damaged TMJ can trigger, so they often need to be ruled out as a possible cause. Also we perform no esthetic orthodontics (braces or clear aligners). The only type of orthodontics we provide is functional orthodontics using removeable oral appliances that include orthopedic corrections to improve the pattern of subsequent jaw and facial growth.
COVID SAFETY - Our office is in a historic old building with windows that actually open. In addition to the normal precautions, we have fans blowing in one window and out the other, so we can maintain directional airflow if you are especially concerned about respiratory viruses.