Headaches,
Migraines & TMJ Symptoms
The majority of migraine headaches are caused by having a "bad" bite
and causes symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems.
If the teeth don't come together in an optimal jaw position, the result is
sub-conscious clenching or grinding of the teeth. This causes pain
in the muscles of the head, face and neck that is often misdiagnosed as
migraine headache pain.
Almost no one realizes they have a bite that is not correct or that they
are clenching or grinding. Many patients say their spouse never hears them.
The problem is that adults don't make noise grinding like children do.
If you grind right now, chances are you will not make noise. Bruxing
is the name dentists give to this abnormal activity of grinding.
To take a self test to see if an improper bight might be
causing your migraine headache and TMJ pain,
click the link.
Over time an improper bite leads to muscle pain and jaw joint problems. This
is known as TMJ syndrome (temporomandibular joint
syndrome.) A common symptom for
women resulting from muscle fatigue and TMJ breakdown is a headache ”often of migraine severity” behind the eyes and/or in the area of the
temples. Men experience less headache and more neck stiffness or
soreness. Neck stiffness almost always accompanies TMJ syndrome.
The clicking or popping noise in front of the ear is the jaw
(temporomandibular) joint breaking down. The noise is the cartilage
in the joint that becomes permanently deformed from prolonged
overuse. There may also be soreness in the muscles of the face and
jaw in this area due to overworking them. Ear congestion or ringing
is another common sign.
Bruxing is a most destructive habit. The joints, muscles, and teeth
are in conflict. The teeth become worn and can be cracked or will
shift from the forces of bruxing. The enamel can flake off at the
gum line causing notching on the teeth receiving the most excessive
forces. Neuromuscular dentistry is treatment
focused on creating harmony between the joints, the muscles and the teeth.
A cardiologist checks for heart disease with an EKG. It is a
computer that measures electrical activity in the body. We use a
similar computer, an EMG or Electromyograph, to measure muscle activity in
the head and neck as we are tracking your jaw position. With this
study we can determine the optimal jaw position for you and make a special
mouthpiece at that relaxed jaw position.
This is a major breakthrough in TMJ and migraine headache therapy because
we can make these precise computerized measurements. In the past, dentists
realized the bite was the problem but didn't know where the bite should
be. Many mouthpieces were made using an arbitrary bite because we
had to guess at relaxed muscle position. Sometimes they worked, but
often they would not relieve the pain.
A mouthpiece made with the aid of the computer to the relaxed muscle
positions is called a neuromuscular orthotic. When the pain goes
away with this mouthpiece, you know with certainty that your bite was
causing the problem. The orthotic stops the pain, and returns
the mouth to a stable, comfortable position.
A typical scan results in a chart of diagnostic information showing the
best jaw position for your muscles.
After use of the orthotic and relief from the symptoms, a bite correction
is usually needed to permanently restore the teeth and joints to optimum
health. This may be done with contouring of the enamel, or with
orthodontics or with crowns and veneers depending on the situation.
 Excessive
wear can even deform the smile or shorten the teeth to the point the
person looks like the have a denture. This young man in his early
20s had chipped and deformed his front teeth by bruxing without realizing
it.
Copyright © 2008
The South Texas Center for Cosmetic Dentistry
provides information about Cosmetic Dentistry in San Antonio, Texas Texas.
Disclaimer: The
South Texas Center for Cosmetic Dentistry site only
provides information about
porcelain veneers,
porcelain crowns, neuromuscular
dentistry,
bleaching, and Cosmetic Makeovers
and is not meant to be taken as dental advice.
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