Research interests include diagnosis and management of patients with TMD, chronic pain mechanisms for the management of orofacial pain and systemic musculoskeletal pains, sleep disorders and familial genetics of cleft lip and palate. Our laboratory has also developed a somatic mosaic animal model for monarthritis in the TMJ and knee that allow us to study treatments in single joints. We also have unregulated the µ-opioid receptor as a strategy for the induction of anti-nociception, utilizing the body's endogenous opioids to control pain.