At NEO Dental we understand that frequent headaches are terrible. They can get in the way of enjoying your life and work. The good news is that we’re here to help.

Headaches are often caused by TMJ. TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, which is the joint that connects your jawbone (mandible) to your skull at the temporal bones. It is located in front of your ears on both sides of your head and allows you to open and close your mouth, as well as move your jaw from side to side.

TMJ disorders, also known as temporomandibular disorders (TMD), refer to a group of conditions that affect the temporomandibular joint and the muscles surrounding it. These disorders can cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement.

Common symptoms of TMJ disorders include jaw pain or tenderness, clicking or popping sounds when opening or closing the mouth, difficulty in opening or closing the mouth, locking of the jaw, headaches, earaches, and facial pain.

Today we’re catching up with Dr. Steve Thordarson and talking about headaches and how he successfully treats them.

Q: Dr. Steve, how long have you had a special interest in TMJ and Chronic Headache disorders?
A: It’s been over 25 years and now much of my practice involves getting rid of headaches. Permanently.

Q: So what does a dentist have to do with headaches?
A: I know that TMJ and headaches are, believe it or not, about how your upper and lower teeth fit together. If there is even a slight misalignment, that can cause people to clench and grind. After a while without even noticing, the muscles in the temples and jaws get over worked. This is what causes most headaches.

Q: What is your treatment approach?
A: We treat this by aligning the bite. Grinding and clenching stop when the bite is properly aligned. To solve the headache problem we gently reshape certain teeth so that the “bumps and valleys” of your upper and lower teeth fit together perfectly. Yes we use a drill with a very fine “diamond” grit surface.

Q: I’m going to ask the question everyone else is thinking about – is this going to hurt?
A: The treatment is very conservative. In fact, no freezing required. When everything fits perfectly, we polish everything so it’s smooth. Teeth look no different. We’re talking about reshaping less than the thickness of your baby fingernail.

Q: The results?
A: Even though the adjustments are very conservative, it makes a huge difference in getting rid of headaches, migraines, clenching and grinding. It also stabilizes your jaw joints when they’re clicking.

Q: Are there additional benefits other than the relief of headaches?
A: Added benefits are reduced tooth sensitivity, reduced gum recession, extends the life of all fillings, old or new, reduces flattening and wear of front teeth, and will save you thousands of dollars in dental bills over the long-term.

Q: What’s the process if someone with headaches wants relief?
A: I love to meet people with TMJ and headaches because my treatment can make a big difference in their lives. The process is easy: We start by talking about their symptoms and I do a thorough exam. From there I’ll make recommendations and we go from there.

Thank you to Dr. Steve for the conversation!

If you’re interested in finding out more about TMJ and headache relief, call our office at 289-204-1782 to book an appointment or request an appointment from the button below.