TMJ Specialist in Oakland

Oakland has no shortage of good dentists — what it lacks is a true TMJ specialist. That's why patients from Rockridge, Temescal, Montclair, and Lake Merritt take the short BART ride to the San Francisco Center for TMJ & Sleep Apnea. Dr. Amin Samadian, DDS — a TMJ specialist with deep East Bay roots — diagnoses what's actually driving jaw pain, clicking, and headaches, and treats it without surgery. Call 415-570-2841 to book.

East Bay roots, specialist-level care

Dr. Samadian cared for East Bay families for nearly a decade from his former Orinda practice, and many Oakland and Berkeley patients have followed him ever since. Rather than running satellite offices, he concentrated everything — CT imaging, the in-house appliance lab, and his TMJ and airway focus — at one office at 450 Sutter St, a block from the Sutter-Stockton garage. For Oakland patients that means specialist care is closer than most people assume: one BART ride, no bridge traffic, no parking hunt.

Signs you may have a TMJ disorder (TMD)

• Jaw pain, tightness, or fatigue — especially in the morning
• Clicking, popping, or grating when you open or chew
• A jaw that locks, catches, or deviates to one side
• Frequent headaches, ear pressure, or ringing (tinnitus)
• Worn or chipped teeth from grinding and clenching (bruxism)

These symptoms usually share a root cause — an unbalanced bite, overloaded muscles, or a strained joint. Treatment starts by finding that cause, not masking the pain. Learn what TMJ really is →

Getting here from Oakland

Take BART from 12th St/Oakland City Center, 19th St, or Rockridge to Montgomery St — about 15–20 minutes — then it's a short walk up to 450 Sutter St. Driving, the Bay Bridge puts you downtown in roughly half an hour outside peak traffic, with the Sutter-Stockton garage next door. Many patients book morning appointments and are back in Oakland by lunch. A virtual consultation can also start the process before your first in-person visit.

Non-surgical treatment, matched to the cause

Care begins with the least invasive effective option — a custom oral orthotic from our in-house lab, Botox for overactive jaw muscles, bite correction, or regenerative PRF therapy — each step tied to what your exam and imaging actually show. See all TMJ treatment options.

Book TMJ specialist care from Oakland

Serving Oakland and the East Bay from 450 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94108. Same-week consultations are often available. Call 415-570-2841 or request an appointment online.

Reconstruction-grade TMJ & airway care — with our own lab

Most dentists treat TMJ symptoms. Dr. Samadian is a reconstructive and cosmetic dentist who specializes in dental reconstruction for TMJ and airway patients — which means care doesn't stop at managing pain; it can go all the way to rebuilding a bite that years of grinding and joint strain have worn down. He is also one of the few in Northern California with an in-house lab, so orthotics and appliances are designed, crafted, and refined under one roof rather than shipped to a third-party lab.

His integrated method moves through four stages, each matched to what your CT imaging and exam actually show:

1. Diagnose — CT-based imaging of the jaw joints and airway; no guesswork.
2. Decompress & stabilize — custom orthotics from our own lab, regenerative PRF therapy, and Botox for overworked jaw muscles.
3. Develop the airway — NightLase laser therapy, MSE palatal expansion and orthodontics, and oral appliance therapy.
4. Reconstruct — when teeth have paid the price of years of clenching, full bite reconstruction restores function and esthetics together.

The symptom list we treat is long because the jaw–airway system touches all of it: locked jaw, clicking and popping, jaw deviation, grinding and clenching, ear pain and ringing, headaches and migraines, neck and shoulder pain, and snoring.

Real TMJ patient stories

Patients Dr. Samadian has treated for TMJ disorders share their experience in their own words. Individual results vary.

Watch more patient stories →

Testimonials reflect the experiences of individual patients; results vary from person to person.