RESTORE TMJ & SLEEP THERAPY
Katherine Phillips, DDS
Dr. Katherine Phillips is passionate about helping patients find relief from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), TMJ/TMD (temporal mandibular joint/disorder), and facial pain, and has devoted her entire practice to treating these conditions. With a master’s degree in orofacial pain and oral medicine from the University of Southern California and board certification in dental sleep medicine, it’s what Dr. Phillips does all day, every day, in her office—not as an add-on service to a general dental practice.
“I had a friend diagnosed with severe OSA at age 27 who eventually developed strokes, high blood pressure, and congestive heart failure. This affected me profoundly. I became interested in specialized dentistry because I could build meaningful, long-lasting relationships with patients while helping people suffering with OSA and TMJ find relief,” says Dr. Phillips, who earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her DDS degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry.
The prevalence of sleep apnea—a potentially life-threatening condition that causes you to stop breathing while asleep and awaken briefly numerous times a night—is similar to that of type 2 diabetes. Equally alarming, the majority of OSA sufferers are undiagnosed or underdiagnosed. Dr. Phillips is out to change this. She has successfully treated thousands of patients with customized oral appliances designed to relieve mild to moderate OSA without the use of a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. She collaborates closely with local sleep medicine physicians who conduct sleep studies that diagnose OSA, as well as local dentists who also refer patients to her.
If you’ve tried using a CPAP and can’t tolerate it, a custom made oral appliance from Dr. Phillips can be a godsend. For severe sleep apnea cases which need more than an oral appliance alone, she supports a combination therapy that involves a customized oral appliance and face mask that connect to the CPAP machine.
Dr. Phillips also treats TMJ issues. As someone who suffers from this debilitating disorder, she knows all too well the pain relief her patients need. “With TMJ, symptoms such as headache, jaw, ear, and facial pain, joint popping and clicking, a limited range of motion, and locking, the simple daily functions of just enjoying a meal and talking can be a nightmare. The good news is that with conservative, research-based treatment we can heal the joint and resolve these life-altering symptoms without surgery in nearly all cases.”
FEEL BETTER, IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE
“Patients often see me as the last resort instead of as a first line of treatment when suffering from exhaustion and fatigue, chronic migraines, jaw pain, ear pain, and more. They are relieved to discover there’s a real solution,” says Dr. Phillips, the winner of three consecutive Living Magazine Readers’ Choice Best Of awards (2017-2019). Her thorough patient evaluation includes a cone beam CT scan and an in-depth health history. Dr. Phillips welcomes referrals from physicians and other dentists, but you don’t need a referral to see her.
In her leisure time, Dr. Phillips enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, Jon, her Yorkie, Mia, and Abby, a Maltese. Visit TMJTexas.com to read her impressive bio.
Contact
1001 Medical Plaza Drive,
Suite 200
The Woodlands, Texas 77380
(281) 296-6797