Do you suffer from chronic headaches and migraines, or regular pain in your jaw? These aches and pains could be linked to common issues like TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). Fortunately, our team can offer solutions to orofacial pain! In today’s blog, your Syosset, NY, dentist talks about treatment with oral appliance therapy.
The Causes of Your Jaw Joint Strain
When you have strain in your jaw, this could lead to aches and pain, as well as a clicking or popping sensation. You could also have chronic headaches or migraines and aches in the neck and shoulders too. The factors behind the stress on your jaw could include issues with malocclusion and misalignment, injury to your jaw or mouth, missing teeth, or issues with the growth of your jaw or the eruption of your teeth. High levels of stress in your family life could be a factor too! As part of your treatment, our team will carefully examine your smile and assess the factors behind your headaches and jaw pain.
TMJ Disorder
TMJ disorder, also known as TMD, occurs when the jaws are strained. The disorder could lead to the uncomfortable symptoms we discussed above, as well as trouble fully opening and closing your mouth. You could ease discomfort by avoiding caffeinated products, or hard or chewy snacks. Place a warm washcloth on the side of the face to ease strain, and you can take over-the-counter pain relievers. But treatment from our team can stop the underlying factors and bring relief from your painful TMD symptoms.
Bruxism
Bruxism means you grind or clench your teeth on a nightly basis. This pressure could not only cause pain in the jaw and head, but also wears down outer enamel and crack or chip teeth. This can alter the beauty of your smile and can increase the risk of tooth decay and infection too, so the stability of your smile is at risk.
Oral Appliance Therapy
How do we offer relief? Our team will begin with detailed digital images being taken of the teeth from multiple angles. We then combine them to create a 3D impression, so we can design and fabricate an oral appliance. The device will look and fit like a mouthguard, and is worn as you sleep. The device repositions the jaw to ease underlying strain and stress, easing TMJ symptoms. The appliance also puts a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent damage from teeth grinding!
Do You Have Questions About Treating Headaches and Jaw Pain?
We want to offer relief with a custom oral appliance. To learn more about easing orofacial pain and discomfort, then contact our Syosset, NY dental office today at 516-433-2211.
