Dental Treatment for Headaches, Neck Pain and / or Jaw Pain

We may be able to help you

Headache, neck and jaw (TMJ) pain can arise for any number of reasons. A very large percentage of these debilitating pains can be traced to muscle tension. In fact, it has been estimated that up to 75% of all headaches are derived from tense and fatigued muscles.

If you experience this type of headache only occasionally, then the use of over-the-counter pain medication is probably sufficient. However, if you have persistent headaches and/or neck pain we may be able to help you.

Jaw (TMJ) pain and / or noise (clicking)

Many people suffer from clicking or noise from jaw joints (TMJ's). This may also be associated with pain, limited opening, difficulty chewing or headache.

If you experience clicking or noisy joints but do not suffer from pain or dysfunction then treatment probably will not be necessary. However, your jaw joints should still be evaluated.

If you do experience jaw pain or dysfunction then the problem should be immediately evaluated. Prompt assessment and management will reduce the time, cost and complexity of any necessary treatment. It will also minimize long term joint damage and the risk of surgical treatment. Treatment may include:

Medication and counseling
Physiotherapy
Provision of a splint or orthotic
Further complex dental treatment
Surgery

Headache, neck ache and your bite

Many of the muscles of the head and neck region play an essential part in the posture of the jaw. If your bite is not right it can lead to abnormal tension in these muscles and cause pain.

If the bite is not corrected the muscles may remain tense for long periods of time. The contracted muscle does not get a chance to relax and soon suffers from circulation problems leading to an accumulation of waste products and subsequent pain.

Determining if your bite is the cause

Technology like the K7 jaw tracking computer allows us to objectively evaluate the state of these muscles and various other factors that may be affecting your bite. Based on this and other information obtained from physical examination, we can rule in or rule out your bite as a possible cause of headache pain with a high degree of confidence.

Dental treatment of headaches

If the indications are that your bite is a major factor, we may recommend the fabrication of a custom made orthotic. An orthotic is a plastic appliance that is worn over your teeth to adjust your bite to a correct relationship.

At this point, nothing permanent is done to alter your teeth or your bite. You would wear this appliance for a period of time to make sure the new bite position is correct before any consideration would be given to permanently altering your bite.

After having worn the provisional appliance for some time, we will know for sure if the new bite position has resolved the headache problem. If it has, you will have several options open to you for long-term treatment.

Some of these options may include dental treatment to permanently alter your bite to the new position, fabrication of a more permanent type of orthotic, or using a TENS device to relax the muscles at those times that headaches are most bothersome.

Contact us today to evaluate your jaw issues »