Did you know that headaches can be associated with the position of your jaw?
Are you suffering from constant headaches? Forget reaching for the Nurofen – A Neuromuscular Dentist can help to alleviate your pain and get to the cause of the problem, safely and effectively.
While headaches and migraines are often associated with stress, they can also indicate that your bite is crooked or misaligned. When this happens, it can place undue pressure on your jaw muscles and joints. Through specific neuromuscular treatments, the pressure you experience can be greatly lessened and you will be able to relax your jaw muscles until they settle into natural position – allowing you to enjoy the quality of life you deserve.
If you suffer from any of the following symptoms, it could be because your jaw is misaligned:
- Tension headaches and migraines
- Loose teeth
- Shoulder, neck and back pain
- Pain or clicking and popping of the jaw joints
- Ringing or congestion in your ears
- Limited mouth opening
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Sensitive or sore teeth
- Facial pain and pain behind the eyes
- Worn, chipped or cracked teeth and fillings
- Clenching or grinding your teeth
- Tingling or numbness in the fingers and arms
Jaw misalignment: the root cause of a variety of unpleasant symptoms
Jaw misalignment is characterised by the jaw joint moving out of alignment and occurs as a result of the muscles of the jaw and those used to chew food not working properly. Jaw misalignment, also known as an uneven bite can cause a multitude of associated symptoms. Therefore, treating this condition is critical to your oral, overall health and general wellbeing.
An uneven jaw causes head pain because it prevents jaw muscles from completely relaxing. Chronic muscle tension produces excess lactic acid, a metabolic by-product which is the main culprit causing you head pain, usually in the form of migraines or tension headaches.
Neuromuscular treatments can alleviate your pain
Treatment of this disorder often focuses solely on re-aligning the jaw in order to reduce the amount of pain and discomfort associated with this condition.
Neuromuscular Dentistry is the art and science of using the relaxed position of the muscles of the head and neck to place the jaw in the optimal physiologic position for comfort and function. Treatment usually involves several phases:
- An ultra low-frequency TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation) unit is used to deliver a mild electrical impulse to the muscles, relaxing them by increasing the blood flow and flushing out toxins. This process usually takes 45-60 minutes.
- A computerised diagnostic instrument called the K-7 is then used to record muscle activity, joint sounds and jaw position.
- Once the records are collected, an orthotic (custom, specialised mouth ‘splint’) is fabricated to place the jaw in this relaxed physiologic position.
When this phase of treatment is completed, a mutual decision will be made regarding the next phase of therapy.
The options available are:
- Continued orthotic wear
- Recontouring of the teeth
- Orthodontic therapy
- Reconstruction with crowns, veneers, or other prosthetic restorations