If you have regular headaches, this could be due to pressure from a common issue known as TMJ disorder, or TMD. In addition to painful headaches, this could also lead to discomfort in your jaw, but we can help! In today’s blog, your team at Healthy Smiles Family Dentistry talks about easing headaches with TMJ treatment.
The Causes and Impacts of TMJ Disorder
What causes an issue like TMJ disorder to develop? When the joints connecting your jaw and skull become strained, this can lead to TMD and uncomfortable symptoms. Without treatment, this could eventually lead to issues opening and closing your mouth! Common causes include injury to the face or jaw, issues with the growth of your jaw, or problems with how your teeth erupt. Losing teeth could be an issue too. Your wisdom teeth arriving could also upset bite balance and strain your jaw. This could be further exacerbated by eating hard or chewy foods. Stress could even be a potential cause! But we can help.
When you begin to experience soreness in the face or jaw, a popping or clicking in the jaw, headaches and migraines, or aches in the neck and shoulders, then let us know right away.
Treatment with an Oral Appliance
Our team will begin with a diagnosis to assess the presence of TMD. If we discover strain and imbalance, we can take images and impressions of your bite with advanced digital imaging, which allows our team to design and craft an oral appliance. The device will be worn as you sleep and helps reposition the bite. This is a simple device that looks and fits like a mouthguard! But this can ease symptoms and strain, so you enjoy relief from discomfort during your waking hours. The oral appliance is then easy to use and clean, and even if you head out on vacation, it can come with you to keep you free of TMD symptoms.
The Link to Bruxism
There could also be a link to bruxism, the term for chronic teeth grinding. When you have untreated TMJ disorder, this could lead to bruxism and vice-versa. Without treatment, bruxism could wear down teeth and even crack or chip the outer enamel, which leaves teeth vulnerable to issues like tooth decay and infection. But again, we can help with an oral appliance, as this places a soft barrier between the sets of upper and lower teeth, preventing further damage to your smile.
Learn More About TMJ Treatment!
We want to help improve the health and balance of the smile with a custom oral appliance. To find out more about easing headaches, or to schedule an appointment, please call Healthy Smiles Family Dentistry in Houston, TX at (281) 974-4494.
