Believe it or not headaches are one of the most common symptoms of TMJ problems. This is quite often a type of tension headache that causes pain around the head or a migraine headache.
How Do TMJ problems cause headaches?
When ones bite is misaligned or off, this leads to constant contraction of the muscle fibers in a muscle and creates overworked muscles. These overworked muscles can cause decreased blood flow to the area as well. Often, the bad bite leads to more clenching and grinding which further exacerbates the TMJ pain and muscle strain leading to a headache. These headaches can get so severe that patients feel as if they have migraines.
In our office, we often see patients who have been treated for migraines with medications for years only to find out that a dentist with special interests in TMJ (There is no American Dental Association recognized TMJ Specialist) can help alleviate this TMJ pain and headache.
Dr. Konig utilizes a variety of methods including 3D analysis of the head and neck along with computerized technology to find and non-surgically reposition the joints in the correct physiologic or neuromuscular position for the muscles, nerves, and jaw joints as well as working with the neck and postural issues. By bringing the jaw and bite back in alignment it alleviates the strain that causes headaches, migraines, and even neck pain and tinnitus.
Dr. Konig explains that there are several steps for treating patients with headaches Caused by TMJ problems:
- Diagnosis, 3D scans and thorough evaluation
- Stabilization of the bite: often a fixed orthotic is reversibly placed over the teeth to reposition the jaw and muscles to the corrected position. This can be adjusted as things heal and is also a “test drive bite”. TekScans and Biopak Computerized instrumentation are also used to eliminate guesswork
- Long-term stabilization: when patients are asymptomatic and no more headaches, several options can be used to get the teeth to this corrected position.
If you have any questions regarding Houston TMJ Treatment or Houston TMJ Headache Treatment, please feel free to contact our office, Ronald W. Konig DDS, FAGD, LVIF, 713-668-2289
