The Jaw Directory

Questions to Ask Before You Book TMJ Care

Price, insurance, what is included and how to check a license, before your first visit.

Before a first TMJ visit, ask for the cash price and what it includes, whether imaging is extra, whether the practice bills dental or medical insurance, and what a night guard or splint costs including follow-up visits. Check the clinician's license with the state board. Before anything permanent or surgical, NIDCR suggests discussing benefits, risks and alternatives and getting second opinions.

Published November 2, 2026. Not medical advice.

A physical therapist working with a patient in a clinic
Photo: Navy Medicine on Unsplash

This site lists providers, prices and published cost figures only. It is not medical advice. Talk with a licensed provider about your health.

About Price

  1. What is your cash price for a TMJ consult or evaluation? Ask what it includes. Prices posted by Western North Carolina providers on this site range from general visit rates to TMJ-specific sessions; compare like with like.
  2. Is imaging included, or extra? Pearl notes that imaging such as MRI or cone-beam CT is usually billed as a medical claim.
  3. What does a night guard or splint cost, and does that include follow-up visits? Pearl describes a custom stabilization splint as including follow-up adjustments, and prices it higher than a basic night guard.
  4. For Botox: what is the price per unit, and about how many units do you use? Medical spas we list post per-unit prices, and one notes that cost is calculated per unit and depends on the patient.
  5. For massage or physical therapy: how long is a session, and what is the price per session? For massage, ask whether the session includes intraoral (inside the mouth) work.

About Insurance

  1. Do you bill dental insurance, medical insurance, or neither? Pearl says TMJ coverage spans dental and medical plans depending on the treatment. See Does Insurance Cover TMJ Treatment?
  2. Does my plan need pre-authorization? Pearl says most carriers require it for surgical TMJ claims.
  3. For physical therapy: does my plan require a referral? North Carolina law does not (APTA lists it as unrestricted direct access, June 2023), but a plan may.

About The Provider

  1. What is your license, and can I look it up? Use the NC dental board, NC PT board or NC massage board lookup.
  2. How long is the wait for a new patient? Our own call script asks this; providers who answer get it shown on their page with the date.
  3. Before anything permanent: what are the benefits, risks and alternatives? NIDCR suggests asking exactly this, and getting second opinions, before treatments that permanently change the jaw, teeth or bite, or involve surgery.

Print this page or keep it open when you call. Our provider pages show the answers we already have, with sources.

Common Questions

What should I ask before booking a TMJ appointment?

Ask the cash price and what it includes, whether imaging is extra, whether the practice bills dental or medical insurance, what a night guard or splint costs including follow-ups, and the clinician's license.

Is imaging included in a TMJ consult?

Ask the provider. Pearl notes imaging such as MRI or cone-beam CT is usually billed as a medical claim.

Should I get a second opinion for TMJ?

NIDCR suggests getting second opinions before any treatment that permanently changes the jaw, teeth or bite, or involves surgery.

Sources