Constant headaches are painful, uncomfortable, and could be the result of a serious problem. If you have continuous head or jaw pain, you could have temporomandibular disorder, or TMJ.
What is TMJ?
Your temporomandibular joints connect your jaw to your skull’s temporal bone. These joints allow your mouth and jaw to move. When the TMJ joints become misaligned, it could cause pain, popping, or clicking in your jaw. TMJ is caused by a tightening of your muscles, creating headaches, jaw soreness, and neck pain.
What is bruxism?
Bruxism is a condition where you clench or grind your teeth, usually at night. This could be a result of stress, anxiety, depression, injury, or misalignment. Grinding places unnecessary force on your teeth, resulting in wear, loosening, or fractures. Clenching puts pressure on your muscles and makes your lower jaw hurt.
How can TMJ be controlled?
TMJ disorder and bruxism can frequently be treated with an oral appliance. Dr. Kobak uses several kinds of oral appliances, including Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition, or NTI. The NTI is an appliance that you wear in the front of your mouth that prevents clenching and grinding your teeth.
Your headaches could also be the result of ear or sinus infections that cause your facial muscles to become tight and tense. A toothache causes you to feel a sharp or throbbing pain around your teeth or jaw, which can also feel like a headache. Dr. Kobak can help determine the cause of your headaches. Contact Syosset Dental to schedule your appointment at 516-433-2211. Our dental office in Syosset, NY welcomes patients from Nassau, Suffolk or New York City.
