Provides general dental care for adults, and a longer first visit for people with jaw pain, clenching or worn teeth. Her added training in jaw and bite problems is continuing education.
General dentistry · Kalamazoo
A careful look at jaw pain, clenching and worn teeth
A general dentist with added training in how the jaw, the bite and the muscles around them work together. Your first visit is a long one. We listen, we examine, and we tell you plainly what we can do and when we would send you to someone else.
What we look at
Four places a bite problem shows up
Choose one. Under each is what we check and when we send you elsewhere. We don't promise an outcome. We tell you what we found.
Jaw
Aching or tiredness in front of the ear, clicking or popping, a jaw that catches on one side, or trouble opening wide.
We look at: how far and how straight your jaw opens, the muscles you chew with, the joint itself and how your teeth meet.
We refer when: the jaw locks open or shut, you've had a recent injury, the joint looks damaged on an image, or a fair trial of the first steps hasn't helped.
Head
Aching at the temples or in the cheeks, or a tight band of tension that is worst in the morning or after a hard week.
We look at: the temple, cheek and jaw muscles, whether pressing on them matches your ache, and signs of clenching.
We refer when: a headache is new for you or unlike your usual ones. A sudden, severe headache, or one with weakness or changes in speech or vision, is an emergency: call 911.
Ears
Fullness, aching or ringing in an ear with no sign of infection. The jaw joint sits right beside the ear canal.
We look at: the joint beside the ear, whether moving your jaw changes the sound or the ache, and the muscles around it.
We refer when: you have hearing loss, drainage, dizziness, or ringing in one ear only. A dentist can't diagnose an ear problem; your doctor or an ear, nose and throat doctor can.
Tooth wear
Flat or chipped edges, cracked teeth, sensitive spots at the gum line, or a bite that feels different than it used to.
We look at: the pattern of wear, cracks, gum recession, and how the teeth meet when you close.
We refer when: a crack reaches the nerve, the gums are pulling away, or the wear points to something outside the mouth, such as reflux, which we raise with you gently and send to your doctor.
Scope
A general dentist, said plainly
Dr. Mukherjee is a general dentist. Her jaw-pain training is continuing education, and jaw and facial pain care by a general dentist is not a recognized dental specialty.
Some people need a dentist whose practice is limited to orofacial pain, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, or a physician instead of a dentist. We tell you which, and we write the referral.
We examine
The jaw, the muscles, the joint and the bite, with your story first.
We protect
A night guard when it fits, and repairs only where teeth need them.
We explain
Options, risks and a written estimate, before treatment starts.
We refer
Early, when what you describe isn't something a dentist can sort out.
A first visit
Your first visit, in order
Plan on about an hour and a quarter. Nothing here needs numbing.
- 01
Step 1: Before you come
You fill in your health history on our patient portal, not in a message or a contact form.
Patient portal - 02
Step 2: We listen
When it started, what sets it off, what you've already tried. You talk and we write it down with you.
- 03
Step 3: We examine
We measure how your jaw opens, feel the muscles and the joint, and check how your teeth meet. Pressure is gentle, and you can stop us at any point.
- 04
Step 4: We look closer, if it helps
X-rays or a scan only when the exam says they will change what we do. We tell you why before we take one.
- 05
Step 5: We tell you what we found
Your options in plain words, including waiting, who we would refer you to, and a written estimate.
Your dentist
One dentist, one chair
Mukherjee Dental is a solo practice. You see the same dentist at every visit, and the same person answers when you call.
Add your photos
Photos of your own finished work go here, shared with written permission from each patient. Until then, these sample pictures show the room and the tools.
Sample photos.
From people with jaw pain
“Dr. Mukherjee asked questions for twenty minutes before she touched my jaw. I left knowing what she would and wouldn't do.”
Rosie T.Patient
“I had a guard from a drugstore and never learned why I clenched. Here I got a plan in writing and a straight answer about who else to see.”
Marisa K.Patient
“She told me my ear fullness probably wasn't her department, and sent a note to my doctor. I appreciated that.”
Barry L.Patient
Sample reviews.
Questions people ask first
Do you take my insurance?
It depends on your plan, so we check before your first visit and tell you in writing. Many dental plans treat jaw-joint care and night guards differently from fillings and cleanings, and some medical plans pay for parts of jaw care. The How fees work page has the table.
Will it hurt?
The jaw exam is gentle pressure, and you can ask us to stop at any point. Nothing in a first visit needs numbing. If a later treatment does, we explain what we use and you can ask for a break.
Can I get a written estimate before treatment?
Yes. You can ask at scheduling or at your visit. The estimate lists the treatment, the visits it takes and the fee.
What counts as a dental emergency, and what do I do first?
Swelling that spreads to your face, eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, or bleeding that won't stop is an emergency: go to an emergency room or call 911. A knocked-out or broken tooth, or a tooth pain that can't wait, is a call to our office right away.
Bring your questions about your jaw
Tell us when to call you back. We'll offer a time for a first visit and give you the estimate before you come.