I am a Southern California-based Kaiser Permanente member experiencing TMJ issues. From my research, it seems the best treatment for TMJ comes from a specialist. However, it appears that Kaiser Permanente does not have a dedicated TMJ department. The Maxillofacial department seems limited in what they can offer for TMJ treatment.

From what I’ve read, TMJ specialists typically accept medical insurance rather than dental insurance. Is there any chance Kaiser would cover the cost of my TMJ procedure if I were treated by a third-party specialist outside of Kaiser, given that such treatment is not available within their network?

If anyone has faced similar challenges or has experience with this, I would greatly appreciate your guidance.