Dentistry
Function and tooth protection
Assesses pain, movement, the joint and bite, and plans reversible dental measures.
Functional diagnostics · Berlin-Mitte
CMD treatment in Berlin: understand first, then treat
You may already have visited several practices because of jaw, head or ear symptoms. We do not promise a single cause; instead, we assess systematically whether a functional disorder of the masticatory system is present and, if so, which one.
- Practice
- Friedrichstraße 80
Berlin-Mitte - Open
- 7 days
Mon–Fri until 8 pm - First step
- Clinical
functional assessment - Appointment
- 030 436665501
Signs
Take symptoms seriously without attributing everything to the jaw
Craniomandibular dysfunction, or CMD, is an umbrella term for pain and functional disorders of the masticatory muscles and jaw joints. It is not a single diagnosis with one cause. Bite, muscles, joints, sleep, strain and pain processing can contribute to different degrees.
This explains why some people have already been through a long series of dental, ENT, orthopedic or neurological consultations. That process was not in vain: jaw, head, ear and neck symptoms have several possible causes. Our part is to determine whether there is a functional dental assessment.
Joint, disc and muscles
An articular disc lies between the mandibular condyle and the skull. The masticatory muscles guide the lower jaw. Pain can originate in the muscle, joint or surrounding structures; a sound does not automatically reveal which structure is involved.
That is why we assess movement and pain together. Painless clicking of the jaw joint without loss of function generally does not require treatment.
Tinnitus, migraine and dizziness can occur at the same time as jaw symptoms. This does not establish a proven causal relationship. An ENT or neurological assessment remains important.
Guidance
How urgently do you need an assessment?
Pain, mobility and progression determine how the first consultation begins. These three questions distinguish between a prompt assessment, a functional analysis that can be scheduled and a sound without current symptoms.
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What are you noticing at the moment?
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How has the situation developed?
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What do you need as the next step?
Prompt assessment is the priority
Pain or restricted mouth opening should be examined clinically without delay. We first assess mobility, pain and function. This does not yet constitute a CMD diagnosis; other dental or specialist causes may also be relevant.
At the appointment, please describe the onset, progression and triggers, as well as previous assessments and medications.
A functional analysis is the next step that can be scheduled
Recurring symptoms under strain, clenching or grinding are assessed through a medical history and clinical functional assessment. Reversible measures come first. Depending on the assessment, information, exercises, physiotherapy or an individually monitored splint may be discussed.
Further measurements or imaging follow only if they answer a specific question.
Monitoring may be sufficient initially
A consistent joint sound without pain or restriction generally does not require treatment. The sound alone is not a diagnosis. Note whether pain, locking or a change in mouth opening develops.
If such a change occurs, or if you are uncertain, arrange an examination.
These questions do not replace an examination, diagnosis or consultation. They only indicate where the first appointment may begin. The assessment determines what evaluation is necessary in your case.
Diagnostics
As much diagnostic testing as necessary
Not everyone needs the same series of tests and devices. The examination proceeds in stages. Another stage is added only if it answers a specific question and could change the decision.
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Medical history
We record symptoms, their progression over time, previous treatments, medications, sleep, clenching or grinding, and strains in daily life. Previous assessments from other specialties are also included.
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Clinical functional analysis
At F80, we assess the jaw joints, masticatory muscles, mouth opening, lower-jaw movements and bite. We palpate typical pain points and compare whether familiar symptoms can be reproduced in a targeted way.
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Manual structural analysis if needed
Specific loading and movement tests can help identify the muscular and joint structures involved more precisely. They supplement the medical history but do not replace it.
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Instrumental analysis for a specific question
Models, transfer to an articulator or recording lower-jaw movements may be relevant for a splint or subsequent dental treatment. A measurement alone does not prove the cause of pain.
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Imaging only when it can affect the next step
At F80, digital X-rays and a 3D scan of the teeth can supplement the assessment. Further imaging is reserved for a specific question about the joint, soft tissue or bone—it is not part of routine testing for everyone.
Treatment
Start with reversible measures; irreversible steps come last
Treatment is based on the assessment. The aim may be less pain, better mobility, protection of the teeth or a more reliable way of managing recurring symptoms. Complete freedom from symptoms cannot be promised.
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Information and self-monitoring
You learn to recognize strain: “lips together, teeth apart,” reducing chewing gum, and temporarily using softer foods and warmth during acute overloading. Movement and relaxation exercises tailored to the assessment are added.
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Reversible measures
If a splint is indicated, it is custom-made in the laboratory at F80, fitted and fine-tuned at follow-up appointments. It can protect the teeth and relieve symptoms, but it does not automatically cure bruxism. The guidelines consider the evidence limited compared with information, exercises and relaxation.
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Add interdisciplinary care where appropriate
Where supported by the assessment, physiotherapy may be prescribed and coordinated with dental treatment. For chronic pain or ear, head, neck or sleep symptoms, other specialties are involved as needed.
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Irreversible procedures only with a clear indication
Adjusting tooth contacts by grinding or providing new dental restorations are not first-line treatments for unclear CMD symptoms. Interfering contacts or damaged teeth are treated only when there is a separate dental indication and a consistent assessment.
Botulinum toxin: Its use for bruxism is off-label, meaning outside the approved indication. It is not a standard treatment for CMD and is not presented here as a quick solution.
Collaboration
Each specialty answers a different question
Interdisciplinary care does not mean treating everything at the same time. It means referring an open question to the appropriate specialty.
Physiotherapy
Mobility and exercises
Works on the masticatory and neck muscles, mobility and a suitable exercise program.
ENT
Ear and hearing
Assesses ear pain, tinnitus, changes in hearing and other causes involving the ear, nose and throat.
Neurology · Orthopaedics
Head, dizziness, cervical spine
Assesses neurological causes, types of headache, dizziness and assessments involving the cervical spine.
Pain medicine
Chronic pain
Helps with pain becoming chronic, sleep, anxiety and pain management without treating the symptoms as purely psychological.
Sleep medicine
Sleep-related breathing
Investigates relevant sleep disorders and possible suspected sleep apnea.
Kasse (German statutory health insurance fund)
Clearly distinguish Kassenleistung (a benefit covered by German statutory health insurance) from Privatleistung (a self-paid private service)
Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (German statutory health insurance)
The dental examination and certain occlusal appliances may be a Kassenleistung (benefit covered by German statutory health insurance) when clinically indicated. Whether a particular splint qualifies depends on the specific assessment and intended design.
Functional analysis and additional services
Functional analysis and functional therapy measures are generally Privatleistungen (self-paid private services). Before any privately paid diagnostic test or additional service, you receive a clear explanation and written cost information.
“CMD is always a Kassenleistung (benefit covered by German statutory health insurance)” is as inaccurate as “CMD is entirely private.” What matters is the individual service.
Context
“One in three people has CMD” is not accurate
In the NAKO Health Study of 20,603 adults who underwent dental examinations, 10.1 percent reported jaw or facial pain in the previous 30 days. The weighted prevalence of clinically defined painful TMD was 3.7 percent.
Herpel et al., Deutsches Ärzteblatt, 2026 – NAKO analysis as a PDF. The figures describe painful functional disorders in a study group. They permit neither self-diagnosis nor conclusions about the cause, need for treatment or course in an individual case.
Broad advertising claims often conflate painless sounds, isolated examination signs and pain that requires treatment. For your decision, what matters is not a percentage but a reproducible assessment.
Questions
Frequently asked questions about CMD treatment
Does painless jaw clicking need treatment?
Generally not, as long as movement remains unrestricted and no pain develops. New locking, restricted mouth opening or painful sounds should be examined.
How is CMD diagnosed?
The process begins with a medical history and clinical functional analysis. The jaw joints, masticatory muscles, movement and bite are assessed. Manual, instrumental or imaging procedures follow only if they answer an open question.
Is my tinnitus definitely caused by my jaw?
No. Jaw symptoms and tinnitus can occur together, but this does not prove a definite causal relationship. An ENT assessment remains important.
Does a splint help with CMD and teeth grinding?
Depending on the diagnosis, a splint can protect the teeth and relieve muscle or joint symptoms. It does not automatically cure bruxism, and evidence of benefits over information and exercises is limited. Follow-up appointments are therefore part of the approach.
Do I always need an MRI or 3D scan for CMD?
No. Imaging is appropriate when there is a specific question about the joint, soft tissue, bone or teeth and the result would change treatment. It is not routine screening for everyone.
Is botulinum toxin a standard treatment for CMD?
No. Its use for bruxism would be off-label. It is not a standard treatment for CMD; reversible measures and possible alternatives are assessed first.
Does the gesetzliche Kasse (German statutory health insurance fund) pay for treatment?
The examination and certain occlusal appliances may be a Kassenleistung (benefit covered by German statutory health insurance). Functional analysis generally has to be paid for privately. Before additional services, we explain the classification in writing.
Can physiotherapy be part of treatment?
Yes, if supported by the assessment. With an appropriate diagnosis, physiotherapy may be prescribed and coordinated with dental treatment. Exercises and manual therapy are based on mobility and the pain assessment.
How long does CMD treatment take?
Depending on the assessment, this can range from a few weeks to several months. With chronic pain, monitoring progress is more important than a fixed timeframe. The splint and exercises are adjusted, reduced or discontinued when progress allows.
Let us begin with the assessment
Bring any existing assessments and your questions. We assess what can be explained dentally, which diagnostic tests are necessary and when another specialty may help.
Or call: 030 436665501