Clicking, locking, morning headaches, ear pain no one can explain. With more than 30 years of clinical experience and advanced training in oral medicine and orofacial pain, Dr. Jeffrey Doneskey finds the real source and treats it with care built around your jaw.
Most people with TMJ spend years treating the wrong thing: ear drops for ears that aren't infected, migraine medication for headaches that start in the jaw, night guards that never quite fit.
Dr. Doneskey brings more than three decades of experience and the training of a certified oral medicine specialist to one question: where does your pain really begin? Then he builds a treatment plan around the answer.
When jaw and facial pain has stumped everyone else, patients across the Pacific Northwest find their way to Dr. Doneskey. Here is what sets him apart.
A Certificate in Oral Medicine from the University of Washington's two-year advanced program, plus an independent two-year fellowship in Oral Oncology at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. That is four years of training beyond dental school.
Dr. Doneskey opened his practice in 1987 with a focus on TMJ disorders and has more than 30 years of clinical experience diagnosing jaw and facial pain.
Dr. Doneskey studied the link between sleep problems and TMJ disorders, then designed the SilentPartner™, a patented, FDA-cleared oral appliance that is TMJ-friendly and fully adjustable.
A member of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain and the American Academy of Oral Medicine, the two professional bodies most focused on jaw and facial pain.
Affiliated with Overlake Medical Center and EvergreenHealth, and trusted by physicians and dentists who refer their most complex jaw and facial pain cases.
Open- and closed-jaw imaging, 3D digital scans and a color-coded bite pressure map show exactly what your joints, muscles and teeth are doing.
The jaw joint shares nerves and muscles with your head, ears and neck, so TMJ pain travels. That's why it's one of the most commonly misdiagnosed causes of head and face pain.
The jaw joint01Aching in front of the ear, popping when you chew, a jaw that catches or won't open fully.
Often blamed on: "just stress"
Temples02Your jaw-closing muscles attach at the temples. Clench all night and you wake with a headache.
Often mistaken for: migraines
Ears03The joint sits millimeters from the ear canal. Fullness, ringing and earaches with a normal ear exam are classic.
Often mistaken for: ear infections
Teeth & face04Overworked chewing muscles refer pain into the teeth and cheeks. Dental work doesn't stop it.
Often mistaken for: toothaches, sinus
Neck & shoulders05A jaw that never fully relaxes keeps the neck and shoulder muscles on guard all day.
Often mistaken for: posture problemsEach TMJ is a ball-and-socket hinge with a small cushion of cartilage, the disc, riding on top. When that disc slips out of place, the joint has to jump over it. That jump is the click you hear.
Relief that lasts comes from understanding exactly what your joints and muscles are doing, then building treatment around that.
Most TMJ treatment fails because it starts with a guess. Dr. Doneskey's evaluation pinpoints whether your pain comes from the joint, the muscles, your bite, your sleep, or a combination, so treatment targets the true cause.
An unhurried conversation about your symptoms, when they started, your pain patterns, sleep, stress and health factors that could be contributing.
A careful check of how your jaw opens and moves, joint sounds, bite alignment and tenderness in the chewing, head and neck muscles.
Open- and closed-jaw X-rays show how each joint sits and moves. When needed, CT, cone beam CT or MRI checks for arthritis, disc displacement and other joint problems.
A 3D scan of your teeth and jaws builds a digital model that reveals bite interferences, instability and the spots taking too much pressure.
When the picture calls for it, muscle activity testing (EMG) and joint vibration analysis add even more precision.
Dr. Doneskey walks you through your images and bite map on screen, so you understand exactly what's causing your pain and why the plan will work.
Precision equipment replaces guesswork, messy impressions and generic appliances with data about your jaw.
Open- and closed-jaw X-rays show how each joint sits and moves, while airway images reveal narrowing linked to snoring and sleep apnea.
No goopy putty. A handheld scanner captures your teeth and jaw in 3D to fabricate precise appliances and run a full Digital Occlusal Analysis.
A chairside 3D display shows a color-coded heat map of bite pressure and grinding wear, and how your airway changes as an appliance moves the jaw.
Most TMJ disorders can be managed without surgery. Dr. Doneskey builds a plan around your diagnosis, starting with the gentlest treatment that will get results.
Designed from your 3D scan and bite analysis, your appliance takes pressure off the joint, relaxes overworked muscles and protects your teeth from grinding. For patients whose TMJ is tied to snoring or sleep apnea, the SilentPartner™ can address both.
Guidance to calm inflamed tissue and retrain tight muscles.
Small daily changes that keep results lasting.
Surgery is reserved as a last resort for severe joint damage that hasn't responded to conservative care.
Many insurers cover all or part of an oral appliance, though some don't. Check with your provider before your visit, or ask our team to contact your insurer for you.
DMD · Certified Specialist in Oral Medicine
For more than 30 years, Dr. Doneskey has been the doctor Pacific Northwest patients turn to when jaw and facial pain won't go away. He diagnoses and manages TMJ and orofacial pain, oral mucosal disease and oral signs of systemic illness, and he treats obstructive sleep apnea and snoring.
Patients describe him as kind, patient, enthusiastic and very thorough. He's approachable, has a good sense of humor, and takes the time to listen before he diagnoses. His goal is simple: care tailored to you, with results that last.
A lot of TMJ strain happens while you sleep. Nighttime clenching and grinding load the joint for hours, and they're often tied to how well you breathe at night.
Because Dr. Doneskey treats both TMJ disorders and sleep apnea, he looks at the whole picture. The SilentPartner™ oral appliance is designed to support healthy jaw function and can address TMD symptoms and sleep apnea together.
Left untreated, a TMJ problem can progress and cause lasting damage. Early, conservative care is usually simpler, faster and more effective.
Forrest came in with TMJ pain, a popping jaw and headaches every day. His custom oral appliance relieved them and cut his reliance on over-the-counter painkillers.
Natasha values how Dr. Doneskey listens, solves problems and always makes time for her questions.
Frank found the doctor and team professional and easy to work with, and prefers his SilentPartner appliance to CPAP.
Maxine sleeps better and naps less during the day since starting treatment with an oral appliance instead of CPAP.
Still unsure? Call (425) 646-6409 and our team will walk you through it.
TMJ is the temporomandibular joint itself, the hinge in front of each ear that connects your lower jaw to your skull. TMD (temporomandibular disorder) is the name for problems with that joint and the muscles that move it. Most people say "TMJ" when they mean the disorder.
Look for a provider with advanced training in TMJ disorders and orofacial pain. Dr. Doneskey is a Certified Specialist in Oral Medicine with two years of advanced TMJ and oral medicine training from the University of Washington.
Yes. The jaw joint sits directly in front of the ear canal, and the chewing muscles attach at the temples. TMJ problems commonly show up as temple headaches, ear pain or fullness, ringing, and neck tension.
Painless clicking can stay stable for years, but clicking with pain, catching or limited opening is worth having examined. Untreated TMJ problems can progress, and early, conservative care is usually simpler.
Dr. Doneskey starts with a detailed history and a hands-on exam of jaw movement, joint sounds, bite and muscle tenderness. Open- and closed-jaw imaging, a 3D digital bite analysis and, when needed, CT, cone beam CT, MRI, EMG or joint vibration analysis complete the picture.
Common causes include stress, clenching and grinding, poor posture, jaw or head injury, arthritis in the joint, bite problems, habits like nail-biting or heavy gum chewing, and hormonal changes. Often several factors combine.
He is a certified specialist in Oral Medicine with four years of post-doctoral training, more than 30 years of clinical experience, membership in the American Academy of Orofacial Pain, hospital affiliations with Overlake and EvergreenHealth, and he designed his own FDA-cleared oral appliance, the SilentPartner™.
Most people with TMD are treated conservatively, without surgery. Care usually starts with an accurate diagnosis and a custom oral appliance, along with habit and muscle care.
Many insurers cover all or part of an oral appliance, though some don't. Check with your provider before your consultation, or ask our team to contact your insurer for you.
1414 116th Ave NE, Suite A
Bellevue, WA 98004
Request a TMJ evaluation with Dr. Doneskey. We'll find out what's driving your pain and map out a plan to fix it.
Prefer to talk? Call us(425) 646-6409