San Francisco and Marin CA
Chronic headaches affect millions of people worldwide, often crippling their quality of life and productivity. While headaches can be caused by issues like stress, poor eyesight or sinus issues, and some headaches can be relieved by medication or lifestyle changes, other times they’re more stubborn, and there could be a reason why. Sometimes, an unexpected ally — your dentist — can help in your battle against chronic headaches or migraines. Today our San Francisco dentist who treats temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ or TMD) is explaining how this common disorder of the jaw joints, muscles and ligaments could be causing your chronic headaches — and how we can treat it.
What is TMD?
TMD, also often called TMJ, is a condition that affects the jaw joint and surrounding muscles. It can result from various factors, including teeth grinding (bruxism), jaw misalignment or trauma to the jaw. When the jaw doesn’t function properly, it can lead to muscle tension and pain that radiates to the head, causing headaches.
How can a dentist help?
Dentists like our TMJ dentist in Marin have a thorough understanding of the complex relationship between the jaw, muscles and nerves. Through a comprehensive examination in our Bay Area office, we can easily identify signs of TMD and develop a personalized treatment plan to address the underlying causes of your headaches. In the most severe cases, we may recommend our patients for TMJ surgery. But cases that are more mild or moderate can usually be treated right in our office.
Let’s take a look at some of the available treatments:
- Occlusal splints — Also commonly called bite guards, these custom-made devices are worn comfortably over the teeth at night to alleviate pressure on the jaw joint and prevent teeth grinding during sleep.
- Orthodontics — In cases where jaw misalignment contributes to TMD, orthodontic interventions such as braces or Invisalign may be recommended to realign the teeth and improve jaw function. Invisalign uses comfortable clear plastic aligner trays to straighten the teeth, often in about half the time it takes traditional metal braces.
- Muscle relaxation techniques — Our TMJ dentist in San Francisco may teach specific exercises to relax the jaw muscles and reduce tension, helping to alleviate headache symptoms.
- Lifestyle modifications — Sometimes, simple changes in lifestyle like avoiding hard or chewy foods, practicing stress management techniques and maintaining good posture can also help reduce TMD-related headaches.
In addition to addressing TMD, our dental team will also look for other oral health issues that may be contributing to your chronic headaches or migraines. For example, untreated cavities, infected gums or dental abscesses can cause pain that manifests as headaches. By addressing these dental problems, we can eliminate a potential source of headache pain and improve your overall oral health.
TMJ dentist in the Bay Area
If you’ve been struggling with chronic headaches and haven’t found relief through conventional treatments like over-the-counter pain relievers, give Glen Park Dental a call at (415) 799-3900 or reach out to us online today. We specialize in TMD and orofacial pain and are proud that many of our patients report relief from TMD symptoms with simple treatment in our Bay Area office.
