If you have persistent headaches and migraines, the cause could be related to your smile. A number of factors could strain your jaw joints, impacting how you open and close your mouth and causing uncomfortable symptoms. In today’s blog, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist explains how we treat TMJ-related headaches with an oral appliance.
The Causes of TMJ Headaches
The temporomandibular joints connect your jaw and skull, and control the movements and actions necessary to eat and speak. However, when these joints undergo excessive strain, the result could be TMJ disorder, also known as TMD. Causes of the strain may include tooth loss, misalignment, bite imbalance, or chronic teeth grinding, also known as bruxism. Injury to the face or jaw could be a factor as well. Along with chronic headaches and migraines, other warning signs could include a popping or clicking the jaw, facial discomfort, jaw pain, and aches in the neck and shoulders. If you experience one or more of these potential warning signs, then contact our team for a through exam.
Long-Term Impacts on Oral Health
Unless treated, the discomfort and strain could worsen until you have trouble opening and closing your mouth. Since untreated TMJ disorder could cause bruxism, and vice-verse, the risk of pressure cracking or chipping the teeth increases, which in turn leads to a higher risk of issues like tooth decay and dental infection. To avoid these complications, we suggest seeking treatment. Using I-CAT and iTero® technology, we can take detailed digital images to assess the cause and extent of your TMD. We then recommend treatment!
Treatment with an Oral Appliance
For some, we may use braces or aligners to correct the position of the teeth, which helps restore balance in the smile and prevents teeth grinding. However, we often address the issue with an oral appliance, which looks and functions much like a mouthguard. We create the device based on detailed digital images and measurements of your smile. The appliance is then worn as you sleep and helps reposition the jaw to ease any strain or stress. The barrier the device places between your upper and lower sets of teeth helps by preventing further damage to the teeth and avoiding complications like cavities or infection. If you have any questions about TMJ therapy, then contact our team today.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT TREATING TMD?
We want to offer solutions for the jaw joint strain and bite imbalance that is caused by intreated TMD. To learn more about treating TMJ disorder, then please call Lake Country Orthodontics in Fort Worth, TX at (817) 236-7846. Our office proudly serves patients who live in Azle, Saginaw, and all surrounding communities.
