BRENTWOODDENTAL & TMD
At a Glance
- Service: TMJ / TMJ therapy for jaw pain, joint clicking and locking, bite instability, and chronic headaches
- Serving: Nolensville, including the Town Center, Burkitt Place, and the Nolensville Road corridor, from the nearby Brentwood office
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 7:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Accepting new patients: Yes
- Key differentiator: MRI and 3D diagnostic imaging drive the treatment plan, not soft-diet advice
Nolensville sits close enough to Brentwood that getting expert TMJ care does not mean a cross-county trip. For a town that has grown fast and still has a thin bench of specialty providers, that proximity is the practical point. You should not have to drive into downtown Nashville and fight for parking to get a jaw problem properly diagnosed.
Getting Here from Nolensville
From the Town Center along Nolensville Road, head north and connect to Concord Road heading west toward Brentwood; the office on Virginia Way is a short distance past the I-65 interchange. From most of Nolensville the drive runs about 15 to 20 minutes outside of rush hour. If you live out toward Burkitt Place or the newer subdivisions off Sunset Road, cutting over to Nolensville Pike and then Old Hickory Boulevard is often quicker than backtracking through town.
Because the office keeps early hours starting at 7:00 a.m., you can usually get in and back out before the Nolensville Road commuter crush builds. Parking at the Virginia Way office is on-site and free, which is not something you can count on closer to the city center.
The Specialist at the End of That Short Drive
What makes the quick trip from Nolensville worth it is who you see when you arrive. Dr. Dennis Holmes has spent 30+ years focused on the jaw, treating over 12,000 TMJ and TMJ cases and completing more than 10,000 single-visit CEREC crown cases. That is a depth of experience Nolensville has no local equivalent for. He built a systematic, imaging-first approach precisely so patients get an answer in one place instead of bouncing between offices that each treat a piece of the problem.
What TMJ and TMJ actually mean
The temporomandibular joint connects your lower jaw to your skull, one on each side, just ahead of your ears. When the cushioning disc inside that joint shifts out of position, or when the muscles that move the jaw stay locked in overdrive from clenching, you get the cluster of symptoms grouped under TMJ: jaw tenderness, clicking, locking, ear fullness, and headaches that often settle in the temples.
Causes range from disc displacement and arthritis to an uneven bite or old trauma. Nighttime grinding, called bruxism, is a frequent driver. Because the symptoms spread beyond the joint into the head and neck, the broader term TMJ describes the condition more accurately than TMJ alone.
Is this the right care for you
Consider an evaluation if your jaw makes popping or grinding noises, if it sticks or locks, if your bite suddenly feels off, or if you have headaches and ear pressure that ENT and primary-care visits have not resolved. A painless click still warrants a look, since these joint problems advance over time.
It is not the answer for everyone. If imaging and testing point to a non-jaw source, Dr. Holmes will say so rather than treat a problem that is not there. Honest diagnosis is the whole point of starting with the scan.
What treatment looks like, start to finish
Your first appointment is diagnostic, combining a hands-on exam with MRI and 3D imaging to pinpoint the source. Once Dr. Holmes knows the classification of your disorder, he builds a plan around it. For many patients that means a custom splint engineered for their specific joint position; for muscle pain that resists first-line care, BOTOX can be added later. You should expect gradual relief as the muscles calm and the joint stabilizes, not an overnight switch.
Common Questions from Nolensville Patients
Nolensville does not have many specialists in town. How far do I really have to go?
A: Not far. The Brentwood office is generally a 15- to 20-minute drive from the Nolensville Town Center, far closer than the downtown Nashville specialty clusters. You get specialist-level TMJ diagnosis without the city commute or parking hassle.
Is there easy parking, or will I be circling a lot like downtown?
A: Parking at the Virginia Way office is on-site and free, so there is no garage fee or street-meter scramble. That alone saves Nolensville patients the headache that comes with appointments inside the city center.
I commute on Nolensville Road every morning. Can I get in before work?
A: Yes. The office opens at 7:00 a.m. Monday through Thursday, so you can schedule before the workday and avoid losing an afternoon. Early slots fill quickly, so call (615) 371-8888 to reserve one.
My family moved to a new build near Burkitt Place and we are still finding providers. Do you take new patients?
A: Yes, the practice is accepting new patients. Many Nolensville families in the newer subdivisions are establishing care here, and a TMJ consultation is a straightforward way to start.
My teenager grinds their teeth at night. Is that something you evaluate, or just an adult issue?
A: Bruxism shows up at every age, and grinding can stress a developing jaw the same way it does an adult one. An evaluation determines if the grinding has affected the joint or worn the teeth, and if a custom appliance is warranted.
Brentwood Dental & TMJ
5120 Virginia Way, Ste C13, Brentwood, TN 37027
(615) 371-8888
https://brentwooddentalandtmd.com/areas-we-serve/tmj-therapy-in-nolensville-tn/
