Can You Eliminate My Headaches?
Neo Dental - How Can You Eliminate My Headaches
If jaw pain is part of your everyday life, it may seem normal to you. The truth is, jaw pain is far from normal and may be a symptom of a condition called TMD from one or both of your TMJs. Those are the joints of your lower jaw, called TemporoMandibular Joints. When disease or misalignment occurs, the TMJ and surrounding area becomes inflamed — which is what causes pain and other symptoms.
Solutions for TMJ and Headaches
Chronic headaches are a common issue for many Canadians, and often, finding relief is a challenge. People may try various solutions like medication or acupuncture, yet the root cause is frequently overlooked: muscle tension or spasms in the chewing muscles. This includes areas like the temples, sinuses, cheeks, and even the neck. Many individuals diagnosed with migraines may actually be experiencing symptoms related to these muscle issues and rely on medication, exercise, or massage to cope.
If you suffer from chronic headaches, there might be a lasting solution available. Relief can often be immediate and long-lasting—without the need for surgery, discomfort, freezing, or even a night guard. Curious about how we can help? Just ask.
Understanding TMJ
If your pain is not related to muscle tension or headaches, it could stem from one or both of the Temporomandibular Joints (TMJs). These jaw joints are located just in front of your ears and function as hinges connecting your upper and lower jaws. The TMJs are complex because they allow for both rotational and sliding movements, enabling you to open wide and shift your jaw left and right. When there is pain, damage, or instability in these joints, it’s called a Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD).
What are the signs of TMJ disorder (TMD)?
- Headaches
- Earaches, tenderness around the ear
- Face or jaw pain and tenderness
- Muscle pain in your neck, shoulders and upper back
- Ringing in the ears
- Clicking, popping, or grinding jaw
- Difficulty chewing, yawning or opening your mouth
Did You Know?
- TMD is six times more common in women than men.
- Only 3% of TMJ pain cases are due to issues with the joint itself. The remaining 97% are caused by muscle spasms or bite misalignment, making them highly treatable.
- TMDs are a leading cause of chronic headaches.
- As a progressive condition, untreated TMD can lead to worsening symptoms, like jaw joint clicking that can become painful over time.
A Simple Test for TMJ
- Make a hook with your index finger.
- With your mouth slightly open, tilt your head back, pointing your nose toward the ceiling.
- Hook your finger on your chin and pull downward with medium pressure, relaxing your jaw completely.
- Gently close your teeth until they touch lightly. Which teeth make contact first
Ideally, all your upper and lower teeth should touch at the same time. If the front or back teeth—or one side—touches first, it might indicate a misaligned bite, potentially leading to TMJ issues.
The Good News
Most TMJ problems and related headaches are highly treatable through conservative methods. If you think you may have a TMJ-related issue, reach out to learn more.
TMJ and Headaches Treatment at Neo Dental
I’m Dr. Steve Thordarson, the principal dentist at Neo Dental in Ancaster, Ontario. With over 30 years of experience in dentistry, I’ve dedicated much of my practice to treating TMJ and headaches. At our TMJ and Headache Clinic, we focus on providing effective and conservative care.
Most TMD cases are related to muscle tension caused by an imbalanced bite, and by correcting this, we can permanently alleviate symptoms like:
- Headaches
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- Wear and shortening of teeth
- Muscle pain
- Jaw joint clicking or locking
- Jaw joint pain
- Loose teeth
- Gum recession
More than 97% of our patients have experienced complete relief from these symptoms through our non-surgical, anesthetic-free treatment. Our approach is different—we don’t just address the symptoms but target the root cause for long-term results. While other therapies like medication, chiropractic adjustments, massage, or laser treatment may offer temporary relief, we aim to provide a lasting solution.
Interested in getting started? Contact us to find out more.
How do we diagnose and treat TMJ disorder?
Diagnosis
Treatment of TMD begins with a comprehensive clinical examination, to check your face, jaw, bite, joints, and teeth. During your appointment, we will check for pain and tenderness and listen for clicking or popping when you open and close your mouth, swallow, or chew. If the disorder is diagnosed, a bite splint or night guard is often recommended as the initial treatment.
Treatment and Relief
Our treatment application involves bite splints, which are custom-created plastic mouthpieces, designed to fit over your upper and/or lower teeth. These type of devices prevent the grinding and clenching that often causes or worsens TMD. The splint also realigns the jaw, removing stress on the surrounding area.
Alternative Treatment Options
If a misaligned bite or missing teeth are the cause of your symptoms, we may recommend orthodontics or restorative dental work. If your bite is placing undue pressure on the TMJ’s, we may suggest reshaping individual teeth to redistribute the bite force evenly.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
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