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Cosmetic Dentistry for San Antonio The South Texas Center for Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Craig Carlson & Dr. Yana Monarres 210-499-4949 |
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Headaches, Migraines & TMJ Symptoms
The majority of migraine headaches are caused by having a "bad" bite. 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 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.
Copyright © 2008 The South Texas Center for Cosmetic Dentistry provides information about cosmetic dentistry in San Antonio 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. |
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.