Rockland County, NY & Bergen County, NJ
Dr. Mike Pilar, DDS
√ Migraine, Headache & TMJ Disorder Expert
√ Specializing in Cranio-Cervical Disorders
√ Member of the American Academy of Cranio Facial Pain
Dr. Pilar, a graduate of the NYU College of Dentistry and a member of the American Board of Cranio Facial Pain. His distinguished 45-year career includes such achievements as the first American dentist to lecture at the Beijing Hospital University, and a pioneering member of the Academy of Laser Dentistry. His knowledge and expertise are highly sought, and he lectures on TMD awareness to physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners in Rockland County and local community groups.
SDr. Pilar has limited his practice to the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and migraines since 1997, distinguishing himself with his advancements in TMD treatment protocols. His state-of-the-art protocols are influenced by both eastern and western medicine, and he is an unchallenged expert at treating patients suffering from migraine headaches, jaw joint disorders, and head and neck muscle pain.
Treating TMJ Disorders , TMJ Jaw Pain and Migraines…
Dr. Pilar is known for a non-invasive and virtually pain-free treatment program that is highly effective. His protocols are designed to treat the source of painful symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder, TMD— more commonly known as TMJ. These painful symptoms may include jaw pain and clicking, head, neck and shoulder pain, eye and ear sensitivity, stuffy nose, dizziness (imbalance), blurry eyesight, ringing in the ears, grinding or clenching of teeth and migraines or chronic headaches.
Dr. Mike Pilar’s Biography…
1960s & 1970s: Building the Foundation of Extraordinary TMD/TMJ Disorders Expertise
Dr. Pilar graduated from NYU Dental School in 1964, followed immediately by a two-year surgical residency in the Army. He entered private practice in 1966. With an initiatory surgical background and a position on the oral surgery staff at Maimonides Hospital, he was compelled to become deeply involved in all facets of dentistry, including advanced periodontia, implant dentistry and oral surgery in a handful of years. By his sixth year as a dentist, he was lecturing at the Greater New York Dental Convention and Dental Study Clubs about “first generation” composite filling materials and their applications.
Over the decade of the seventies, he owned and oversaw about 35 dental offices with several hundred dentists working for him. From here he was able to practice the type of dentistry that, in his words, “one only dreams about:” full mouth rehabilitation cases with “three-hour” patient appointments…”at my leisure, wow!”
During those formative years in the 1970’s, he became a member in the Academy of Dental Practice Administration, the Academy of General Dentistry, the Society of Oral Physiology and Occlusion, the Collegium Internationale Oris Implantatorum, the American Academy of Oral Medicine.
More recently, in 1993, he became one of the pioneering members of the Academy of Laser Dentistry and he is currently a member of the American Academy of Cranio Facial Pain.
“I was both teacher and mentor to all my dentists,” Dr. Pilar says. “I wanted all my patients to receive the best possible care while, at the same time, maintaining efficient and financially secure dental facilities.”
1980s: International Experience; Taking Dental Equipment and Expertise to China
The 1980s were both adventurous and exciting. In the early years of that decade Dr. Pilar was summoned to Washington to meet a Congressional group interested in enlisting him to represent them with “dental trade issues” in their newfound relationship and open-door policy with China. Opportunity knocked and he answered by becoming President of “Sino-American Health Industries, Inc.” in 1986, signing the 19th joint venture between Tianjin, the industrial city of China, and the United States.
The negotiations took several years and many trips to China during a period of time where there was no formal working relationship between the U. S. and China. It was a partnership with the Chinese Government at a time when there was noprivate enterprise allowed. A factory producing dental gauze sponges came out of that venture. As part of the agreement with China, the mission of the joint venture was to import the most sophisticated weaving equipment from England that allowed gauze sponges for the first time to be compressed in volume for more efficient and less expensive export shipping costs.
During this period of time Dr. Pilar maintained his professional alliances with the Chinese community as the first American dentist to lecture at the Beijing Hospital University to all their dentists. At the time, he estimated that the Chinese were about 40 years behind American technology.
The early eighties brought additional opportunities. He was appointed Dental Director of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), 2nd District covering New York and New Jersey, under Edward Karalis (NVP). As a dental actuary, he formulated the self-insured dental plan for District members. In addition, he created a panel of over 70 dental offices to help deliver dental services to 200,000 covered members and family.
1990s to the present: Focus on Treatment for Migraine/TMJ Disorders and TMJ Jaw Pain
The 1990s brought more excitement on the home front. Dr. Pilar divested himself of all professional obligations, concentrating on providing a major portion of the dentistry for the 30,000 members of New York City District Council of Carpenters with a thirteen-chair facility in NYC.
Professional challenges have been abundant during his lengthy professional career, but none more than helping patients successfully help people conquer TMD, a disorder of the Tempormandibular Joint. Regarded as a “mystery” condition for many years, TMD was not recognized as a true disorder by the medical profession and not promoted by the dental community with access to post graduate TMD study. TMD wasn’t taught in dental schools or at local dental societies. Professional like Dr. Pilar had to search the far reaches of the dental community to advance their TMD knowledge base.
Dr. Pilar credits his “holistic” approach to TMD to the growing contact he nurtured with the “Alternative Medicine” community, coupled with his waning interest in drug therapy.
“The dental community never exposed me to the virtues of acupuncture/acutherapy and its explosive potential when used in combination with the Orthotic protocol in order to combat TMD,” he explains.
That’s where alternative medicine community was invaluable. He also credits involvement with “direct-current” electro-acupuncture as “a dramatic advancement in my ability to treat TMD cases with greater success.”
From Dentist to TMD Specialist and Pioneer…
He decided to retire from dentistry in 1997 and devote his time and energy to the advancements he was able to create in TMD treatment protocol. The introduction of the NTI Orthotic with its treatment philosophy and physical size along with “Neuro-Mechanical Acupuncture” utilizing “direct current” and now to include cold laser class 4 power all came together. They provide what he now considers the ultimate in basic protocol TMD treatment, allowing him to take the treatment to another level.
From 1997 through 2015 Dr. Pilar has limited his practice to the treatment of TMD, and lecturing on “TMD Awareness” to physicians, dentists and nurse practitioners in Rockland County and interested community groups.