Did you know that TMJ can cause you to have headaches or migraines if not treated? There are over 40 million Americans that get these tension headaches because of TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint).
TMJ headaches are usually so painful and frequent that they are often misdiagnosed as migraines. Migraine headaches are typically on one side of your head and are usually accompanied with visual disturbances and extreme sensitivity to light. Migraine headache treatment is much different from headaches due to dislocated joints, so it’s important for a trained medical professional or dentist to make the diagnosis to make sure it’s diagnosed right.
TMJ headaches are ‘sneaky’ in that they often mimic other types of headaches and may not present any significantly unique features or symptoms. These headaches often go misdiagnosed too, because TMJ is essentially a problem that is treated by dentists like Dr. B and Studio B Smiles.
TMJ headaches can be induced by many things. For example: excessive physical exhaustion, tiredness, dental problems, hormonal changes as with those that come about during the menstrual cycle, trauma, grinding and clenching, cheese and chocolate, substance abuse and medication, particular foods such as MSG, changes in the weather, allergies, and poor posture.
TMJ therapy seeks to treat this problem by restoring balance to the muscles, teeth, and joints that make up the “bite,” or the angle at which the upper and lower teeth meet. Treatment may involve reshaping the teeth to create proper balance or the use of specialized splints worn in the mouth. Other options include orthodontics or tooth restoration and a device called NTI.
For TMJ therapy, Dr. B can fit you for a professional-grade night guard, which will be customized to your mouth. A night guard is a piece of dental equipment that greatly resembles an athletic mouth guard and prevents the upper and lower rows of teeth from touching. This way, during the night, you’ll be unable to do damage to your teeth by grinding or clenching. Enamel cannot regenerate, which is why it’s worrisome when grinding is left untreated. It’s very possible to wear away your teeth and drastically age them with this completely treatable disorder.
Other TMJ therapy treatments can include tooth replacement to bring the bite back into better alignment, adjusting the bite, orthodontics, filling in gaps between teeth, and other treatments designed to align the jaw and take stress off the joint.
We also might suggest that you take part in stress management techniques, like exercise, massage, and stretching. People who suffer with chronic TMJ pain will want to avoid hard or chewy foods, chewing gum or ice, and other activities that can overstimulate the jaw joint.
To learn more about how we can help you with TMJ therapy or TMJ services to reduce or help get rid of migraines or headaches call our office at 480-860-0092 to schedule an appointment with our TMJ dentists.
