Dental Sleep Medicine & Craniofacial Pain
Dr. Farshid Ariz, DMD provides dental sleep medicine and craniofacial pain care at Northridge Dental Group.Jaw pain, frequent headaches, and trouble sleeping can all trace back to the same root causes, even when they do not seem connected at first. Dr. Ariz holds diplomate status with three national boards in craniofacial pain and dental sleep medicine, bringing specialized, focused care to conditions that are easy to overlook.
What we treat
Our care focuses on two connected areas: craniofacial pain and sleep-related breathing disorders.
Craniofacial pain
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
- Jaw pain and soreness
- Facial pain and joint pain
- Neck pain
- Ear pain
- Migraines and primary headaches
Sleep-related breathing disorders
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- Snoring
- Upper airway resistance
- Daytime drowsiness
- CPAP intolerance
- Pediatric sleep and breathing concerns
This care is provided through the TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of San Fernando Valley, which shares our Northridge location and works in partnership with Northridge Dental Group.
Why most TMJ and sleep products do not work
There are many products on the market that claim to treat TMJ pain and sleep disorders. Most offer little to no lasting relief, and there is a specific reason for that.
Our approach starts by identifying what is actually causing the problem rather than managing the symptoms it produces. We have developed a system for diagnosing and treating craniofacial pain, including facial pain, joint pain, ear pain, and migraines, and we treat sleep-related breathing disorders without surgery.
These methods have helped adults live more comfortably, eliminated headaches in children, and resolved cases of chronic bedwetting. We treat both adults and children, and we offer alternatives for patients who cannot tolerate CPAP.
What the initial evaluation includes
Every treatment plan here is built for the individual patient. During your comprehensive exam, Dr. Ariz performs:
- Hard and soft tissue evaluation
- Range of motion evaluation
- Skeletal structure evaluation
- Oral airway evaluation
- Muscle, tendon, and ligament palpation
- I-CAT 3D imaging
- Neurological testing
- Volumetric airway analysis
Understanding TMJ and sleep treatment
How this care works, and what it has meant for real patients.
About our TMJ and sleep treatment
More about our approach
Patient testimonial
Patient testimonial
Patient testimonial
Triple board certified in this field
Dr. Farshid Ariz, DMD is one of the few dentists in California holding Diplomate status from all three of these American boards.
American Board of Craniofacial Pain
DABCP
American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine
DABCDSM
American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine
DABDSM
Dr. Ariz is one of the leading TMJ specialists in the metro Los Angeles area and an internationally recognized expert and lecturer in the field. He has spent his career studying the temporomandibular joint specifically so that patients with complex TMJ cases can finally find a solution. Read his full background.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Our treatment for craniofacial pain and sleep-related breathing disorders is non-surgical, using approaches ranging from orthopedic appliances to nutrition and non-surgical therapies. The goal is to correct the underlying condition rather than manage symptoms indefinitely.
TMJ pain and sleep disorders are typically secondary conditions, meaning something else is causing them. Products aimed at the symptom rather than that underlying cause tend to provide little lasting relief. Identifying the actual cause is what makes treatment work.
Yes. CPAP intolerance is one of the more common reasons patients come to us. We offer alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnea that does not rely on a CPAP machine, determined by what your comprehensive evaluation shows.
Yes. We treat both adults and children. Our methods have eliminated headaches in children and resolved cases of chronic bedwetting, which can be connected to sleep-breathing problems that often go unrecognized.
Your first visit is a comprehensive evaluation, including hard and soft tissue assessment, range of motion, skeletal structure, oral airway evaluation, muscle and ligament palpation, I-CAT 3D imaging, neurological testing, and volumetric airway analysis. That evaluation is what a personalized treatment plan is built from.
Ready to find out what is actually causing it?
Breathe, sleep, heal, and live
Our practice is among a handful in Southern California focused specifically on TMJ disorders, sleep disorders, and craniofacial and headache pain. If you have been living with this, it is worth finding out what is causing it.