Melbourne TMJ & Facial Pain Centre™

Darron has dedicated his professional career to finding the best clinical solutions for the thousands of patients suffering from some form of Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) and its associated symptoms. These symptoms commonly include jaw pain / stiffness / clicking / locking , teeth clenching / grinding. Associated symptoms commonly also include headache, facial pain / pressure, earache / blocking / ringing, lightheadedness / dizziness, brain fog and neck pain / stiffness.

Having treated literally thousands of patients Darron understands that these symptoms may be stemming from not only the jaw structures (temporomandibular) but also from the head (cranio) and neck structures (cervical). These symptoms may be made worse by anything causing stress, leading to increased muscle tension, teeth clenching and poor-quality sleep.

As physiotherapists and osteopaths we are also very aware that poor/sustained posturing – including unsupported sleeping postures (an often-overlooked fact) – compounds the mechanical overloading of these structures. Having a good understanding of the interdependent relationship of these areas (jaw-head-neck) both functionally and as a common source of symptoms, is therefore essential to create a comprehensive Management Plan for not only treating these various symptoms and their causes, but also for avoiding recurrence in the future.

Furthermore, identifying and improving lifestyle factors that may be contributing to TMD and associated issues are always addressed as part of our comprehensive clinical approach because if you go back to habits and activities that created the issue in the first place, then your symptoms are likely to return. The Goralsky Craniomandibular Method™ (GCMM) – Integrated Approach To Management Of TMD & Facial Pain is the hallmark of our clinical approach at Melbourne TMJ & Facial Pain Centre™.

It is important to understand that pain/symptoms that are referred from various structures but experienced elsewhere can create confusion as to the actual source of these symptoms. This commonly leads to sufferers consulting various Medical / Dental Professionals who may only address those aspects of the condition within their scope of practice.

Unfortunately, there is also often a gap in communication between the various Professions to adequately facilitate and direct you towards the other forms of therapy required to address each aspect. Our mission is to help bridge that gap by not only providing you with our very specific treatment approach, but also by liaising with your GP, Dentist or Specialist and making appropriate referrals where other interventions are necessary.

Despite being more complex, the jaw, neck and their structures are in many regards no different from other parts of the body in that they have bones, muscles, joints, ligaments and nerves. A part of our management thus applies the standard principles of treatment for musculoskeletal conditions, incorporating very specific hands-on joint and muscle treatment techniques.  Our comprehensive treatment approach is rounded out by including important rehabilitative exercise and self-help techniques to empower our patients to self-manage.

Darron has also incorporated very specific Dental management of TMD in his approach when required, with the addition of experienced TMD and Sleep Medicine Dentists on our therapy team. This inclusion blends our unique therapy (Physio & Osteo) approach with specialised occlusal splinting therapy if required and or other investigations (such as for sleep apnoea) when necessary. Our innovative approach to patient care and treatment is also one of the reasons our clinic is recognised among Melbourne’s leading TMJ Centres, drawing patient referrals from various Medical and Dental Specialists across Victoria.

MRIT using botulinim can be incorporated into treatment when pain is very acute or as an adjunct to treatment if improvement plateaus. MRIT is never used as a stand alone treatment.Our experinced GP Dr Braham, Goldberg works alongside our TMJ Therapists and Dentists.

Very specific muscle retraining to improve nasal breathing chewing and swallowing is an essential aspect of rehabilitation. Our OMT’s work alongside our TMJ Therapists and Dentists to help re-stablish more optimised pain-free function.

As of 2020 Darron is no longer consulting directly with patients as he has chosen to focus exclusively on ongoing training and mentoring of our experienced clinical team, all of whom are Goralsky Craniomandibular Method™ (GCMM) Certified. This ensures that patients can expect the same, consistent, high levels of care no matter who their treating therapist is. Complex case discussion is a weekly occurrence between Darron and all our therapists, facilitating a collaborative approach for cases that require it.

Darron and the Team are passionate about staying on the cutting edge, always continuing their professional development. The Goralsky Craniomandibular Method™ is always evolving to incorporate new techniques and updates from current research to ensure evidence based, best practice treatment is provided for the most optimal outcomes.

Darron and his approach are highly regarded. He lectures to qualified Dentists in their bi-annual PD program at Melbourne Dental School and presented at the 2019 Australia New Zealand Academy of Orofacial Pain (ANZAOP) Conference in Adelaide. Darron has also been a guest presenter to many Dental Special Interest groups as well as to the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) recent graduates’ group.

Our dedicated team is looking forward to helping you too overcome your TMD related issues. Please don’t suffer unnecessarily for a single day more. CLICK HERE or contact us TODAY on 98248868 to book your appointment, or to learn more about how treatment from a respected and sought-after TMJ centre in Melbourne can benefit you too.

Still unsure?

See how we have helped so many others just like you. Check Out our Google Reviews