Selecting a dentist means choosing who you trust with your oral health over the long term. At Town Square Family Dentistry in Garden Grove, CA, Dr. James Shon and our team have built a local family dental practice around long-term relationships rather than isolated visits. Oral health here extends beyond addressing what’s immediately in front of us — Dr. Shon evaluates each patient’s teeth, bite, and jaw function together, as part of a single, connected system.
This approach is reflected in how we approach your patient experience: clear explanations, treatment plans based on each patient’s specific needs, and a level of clinical training that goes beyond what many general dentistry practices offer.
This distinction has real clinical significance. Conditions that appear isolated — a cracked tooth, uneven enamel wear, recurring jaw discomfort — often trace back to how the bite comes together. Treating only the visible symptom, without addressing the underlying bite relationship, can allow the same problem to resurface elsewhere. Dawson-trained dentists are taught to evaluate this broader system before recommending treatment, rather than addressing each issue in isolation.
For patients, this means a more thorough diagnostic process. Rather than examining only the tooth or area in question, Dr. Shon assesses how the upper and lower jaws align, how the jaw muscles and joints function, and whether wear patterns on the teeth indicate an underlying bite issue. This comprehensive evaluation can identify problems that a narrower exam might not.
This training is particularly relevant for patients experiencing TMJ (temporomandibular joint) symptoms or bite-related issues, which are often difficult to diagnose accurately using a limited exam. Jaw pain, clicking or popping, recurring headaches, and uneven tooth wear can all stem from the same underlying cause: a bite that is out of alignment or a jaw joint under ongoing strain.
Dr. Shon’s Dawson Academy training allows him to evaluate the relationship between the jaw joints, muscles, and teeth as an interconnected system, supporting a more accurate diagnosis of what is driving a patient’s symptoms, rather than treating a headache or worn tooth as an isolated concern. Depending on the findings, treatment may include a custom oral appliance, targeted bite adjustments, restorative treatment to correct uneven wear, or a combination of these approaches based on the individual case.
Patients who have previously tried a standard mouthguard or medication with limited results may find that this more comprehensive diagnostic approach identifies underlying factors that earlier treatment did not address.
Town Square Family Dentistry provides personalized dental care in Garden Grove for patients of all ages, from a child’s first dental visit through adult and restorative treatment. The office is designed with patient comfort in mind, and the team places a strong emphasis on continuity of care and long-term relationships with patients and their families.
Dr. Shon accepts most major dental insurance plans and partners with third-party financing companies to help patients manage the cost of treatment. For patients without insurance, an in-house membership plan is available that covers routine preventive care with no waiting periods or claim forms required.
