Relief from Chronic Head, Jaw, TMJ, and Facial Pain
Dr. Hirschinger is one of the few hundred board-certified orofacial pain specialists. His Beverly Hills practice provides conservative, non-surgical care for acute and chronic jaw, nerve, muscle, TMJ, and headache pain, as well as sleep apnea and snoring, guided by careful diagnosis and long-term outcomes.
Nerve Pain
Nerve pain can be debilitating. Dr. Hirschinger’s goal is to provide relief without surgery and help patients return to their daily lives with less pain. The treatment plan is based on a diagnosis, and it is tailored to your unique needs, focusing on long-term comfort and improved quality of life. Pain relief is only a phone call away.
Primary Headaches
Facial pain includes treatment for primary headaches such as migraines, tension-type, and cluster headaches. It also includes treatment for various pains in the head and neck caused by nerves such as trigeminal neuralgia, and other neuropathies. Learn more about migraines, various headaches, and facial nerve pain.
Sleep Apnea/Snoring
Do you have sleep apnea, but you hate your CPAP machine? Do you have morning headaches, are you tired during the day, do you snore and/or do you ever wake up gasping for air? These are various signs that you might have sleep apnea, which Dr. Hirschinger can treat with a dental appliance that opens your airway.
TMJ & Muscle Pain
TMJ, which stands for temporomandibular joint, is the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. Any pain or limitation of opening can be caused either by the joint or, more commonly, by the muscles that close your jaw. You can learn more about TMJ treatment options in Dr. Hirschinger’s Beverly Hills office.
Orofacial Pain: A Recognized Dental Specialty
In March 2020, orofacial pain (OFP) became the 12th recognized dental specialty of the American Dental Association. Orofacial pain focuses on the diagnosis and management of chronic head, face, jaw, and neck pain using conservative, mostly reversible treatment methods.
The specialty developed in the 1980s, when a small group of dentists—many trained at institutions such as the UCLA School of Dentistry—began treating patients with persistent, unexplained head and neck pain that had not responded to traditional medical or dental care.
Orofacial pain specialists diagnose and manage conditions including:
- Chronic facial and jaw pain (TMJ-related disorders)
- Headaches such as migraine, tension-type, and cluster headaches
- Muscle-related head and neck pain
- Nerve-related pain, including sharp, electric pain (such as trigeminal neuralgia)
- Burning, aching, or persistent pain (including burning mouth syndrome)
- Sleep-related breathing disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea
A Conservative, Diagnosis-Driven Approach
Dr. Hirschinger is one of very few board-certified orofacial pain specialists in the Los Angeles area. His approach is highly conservative and diagnosis-driven, with an emphasis on patient education and shared decision-making.
He treats only conditions that can be clearly diagnosed, and care is provided without touching, drilling, or moving teeth. Treatment does not require dental procedures; instead, it focuses on non-invasive, evidence-based strategies tailored to each patient’s condition.
Meet Dr. Hirschinger
Dr. Rich Hirschinger is a dentist who does not treat teeth or perform any dental procedures. Yes, you read that correctly. \He does not believe that chronic head and neck pain is related to your bite, or what dentists call occlusion.
He completed a two-year residency in orofacial pain at the UCLA School of Dentistry. He is Board-certified by the American Board of Orofacial Pain, and he is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. He is a current lecturer at the UCLA School of Dentistry in the Orofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medicine residency. He likes to say that “TMJ is not a diagnosis” since every human is born with two temporomandibular joints (TMJ), but you don’t go to the orthopedic surgeon and say, “I have a knee.” Most TMJ pain is muscle pain caused by the four muscles that close the jaw.
Doctor Testimonials
Dr. Hirschinger lectures on orofacial pain and obstructive sleep apnea to other doctors so that they can learn about the unique and conservative methods practiced by him. Many doctors are surprised to learn how Dr. Hirschinger does not treat teeth to help his patients. Please visit the Doctor Testimonials page to read what his colleagues have to say about his presentation, and to learn more about how to schedule Dr. Hirschinger to speak at your local, state, or national meeting
Patient Testimonials
At Beverly Hills TMJ & Headache Pain Institute, nothing speaks louder than the experiences of our patients. We are grateful for the trust they place in us and proud to share their stories of relief and improved quality of life. Each testimonial reflects our commitment to personalized, compassionate care and innovative treatments that truly make a difference.
Schedule Dr. Hirschinger as a Speaker
Enhance Your Knowledge with Evidence-based Clinical Insights
Dr. Hirschinger shares evidence-based strategies for diagnosing and treating facial pain, TMJ disorders, primary headaches, and sleep apnea. Please feel free to reach out to explore speaking opportunities for your upcoming conference or symposium. He has spoken at local study clubs, dental societies, state meetings, the American Dental Association annual meeting, and internationally.
Learn About the gentle jaw®
Dr. Hirschinger invented the gentle jaw, a patented passive jaw stretching device used to treat acute and chronic jaw muscle pain and “TMJ.” Most TMJ pain is related to the jaw muscles. He refers to the gentle jaw as “yoga for the jaw.®
