Dr. Gary M. Heir, DMD

Expert Publications

• Ciguatera neurotoxin poisoning mimicking burning mouth syndrome.
• Doctor, why wasn't I told this before?
• Chronic orofacial pain. A practical approach to differential diagnosis.
• Prolonged gingival cold allodynia: a novel finding in patients with atypical odontalgia.
• The role of sensory input of the chorda tympani nerve and the number of fungiform papillae in burning mouth syndrome.
• Commentary on The price of freedom--a counterpoint by Dr Heir.
• Introduction to orofacial pain.
• Topical medications as treatment of neuropathic orofacial pain.
• Case report: diagnosis and management of trigeminal neuralgia and chronic paroxysmal hemicrania in a 43-year-old woman- oral and transmucosal pharamcologic mediations.
• Combined palliative and anti-inflammatory medications as treatment of temporomandibular joint disc displacement without reduction: a systematic review.
• The emerging specialty of orofacial pain.
• If only I knew...!
• Epilogue: if only we knew...
• Systematic review and recommendations for nonodontogenic toothache.

Media Releases

Get to know Dentist Dr. Gary M. Heir, who serves patients in Newark, New Jersey.

A seasoned clinician, Dr. Heir is a Full Professor, Program and Clinical Director of the Center for Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain of the Department of Diagnostic Sciences at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. Recently he was given the honor of appointment as the Carmel Chair of Algesiology. He is a specialist in orofacial pain, a Past President of the American Board of Orofacial Pain and the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. Dr. Heir served under three New Jersey Governors on the New Jersey Governor’s Lyme Disease Advisory Commission

Orofacial Pain is the specialty of dentistry that encompasses the diagnosis, management and treatment of pain disorders of the jaw, mouth, face, head and neck. The specialty of Orofacial Pain is dedicated to the evidenced-based understanding of the underlying pathophysiology, etiology, prevention, and treatment of these disorders and improving access to interdisciplinary patient care.

Educated in the United States, Dr. Heir pursued undergraduate studies at Temple University, and received his Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree from the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School in 1972.

On a professional level, Dr. Heir is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orofacial Pain and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. He is past president of both of these organizations. Dr. Heir serves as a Commissioner and site inspector for the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association,  is an active member of the American Association for the Study of Headache, the American Dental Association, the Association of Migraine Disorders, the International Association for the Study of Pain, and the International Headache Society.

Over the past decade, Dr. Heir played a significant role alongside a committee of national orofacial pain program directors and the American Academy of Orofacial Pain to get orofacial pain recognized as the 12th specialty in dentistry by the American Dental Association in March 2020. He is also the signatory on the application to the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards for recognition of the American Board of Orofacial Pain as the official certifying Board for the specialty in March 2022.

An internationally recognized expert on orofacial pain, Dr. Heir has published papers, chapters and abstracts on topics related to the field of temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain, He serves as the editor for the Orofacial Pain Neuroscience Section of The Journal of the American Dental Association, and also serves on the editorial boards of many other peer-reviewed journals.

Recommended Articles

• Why are my Gums Bleeding?

  Bleeding gums can result from a number of other health conditions, and can also result from vigorous brushing of the teeth or even wearing dentures that don’t fit correctly.The most common causes of bleeding gums include:...

• Sleep Apnea CPAP Machines: Full Face Masks, BiPAP, and ResMed S10

  What is sleep apnea?Sleep apnea is a serious form of sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is often interrupted while sleeping. The brain and other parts of the body do not get enough of oxygen when sleep apnea remains untreated. There are two main types of sleep apnea:...

• Do I need to get my Wisdom Teeth Pulled?

  Wisdom tooth extraction is a surgical procedure used to remove one or more of the adult teeth present at the back of the mouth. It is usually done by an oral surgeon or a dentist. It is often done by opening the gum tissue over the tooth and then taking out the bone covering the tooth. The tissue...

• What Could Halitosis Mean?

  IntroductionHalitosis is also referred to as bad breath in layman’s term. Having bad breath can be embarrassing and may sometimes cause anxiety. Bad breath is commonly experienced by people. In fact, 1 in every 15 people experiences halitosis on a regular basis. Halitosis has a number of...

• Does Everyone Have Wisdom Teeth?

  Introduction When a person reaches the ages between 17 to 21, the eruption of wisdom teeth or third molars may take place. However, for some, wisdom teeth do not show up at all. These teeth are called wisdom teeth because they tend to show up at a later and more mature age. When wisdom teeth...

• Are Dentures the Solution to Your Dental Problems?

  What are dentures?A denture is a device prepared by laboratory technicians in order to replace missing teeth. Dentures are a good option for patients without any teeth, or for patients with some missing teeth who want to have a beautiful smile again. Dentures are not only meant for cosmetic...