The Headache and Dental Connection

The Headache and Dental Connection cosmetic dentistry Des Plaines Headaches affect a majority of the adult and young adult population. There are many types of headaches and also many reasons as to why headaches develop. The types of headaches are generally classified into several basic types: Sinus, Cluster, Tension and Migraine. Tension headaches, described as pain in the forehead like a band squeezing the head, tend to be the largest cause of headaches for the population. While appropriate to see your medical physician to rule out any disorders that could be the root of the problem and to seek some pain relief, I would also recommend discussing it with a dentist trained in Neuromuscular Dentistry.

Diagnosis- For headaches that occur with regularity and over a long period of time, they could be resulting from an improperly aligned bite, involving your teeth and jaw structure. The muscles of the temple area of the forehead are muscles that play an important part in the posturing and closing of the jaw. If your bite is not right, it can lead to abnormal tension and stress in these muscles. The result is often a tension described headache. When the bite remains in this stressed position for long periods of time, the muscles become overly tense and they never get a chance to relax. The end result is muscles in the face and head that suffer from poor circulation lack of oxygen to the area, and a build-up of waste products of metabolism all which lead to pain.

Evaluation- Through a dental evaluation utilizing the latest dental technology, a dentist can objectively determine the state of the muscles in your head and jaw area. Muscle activity can actually be measured and monitored through the data collected. All of these tests and scans are done non-invasively and without pain. With this information, we can generally rule out whether your bite could be a possible cause of the headache pain. Your bite (referred by the dentist as the occlusion) is how your upper and lower teeth fit together.

Treatment- If there do seem to be indications that your bite is related to the pain, an initial treatment may be suggested which involves wearing a custom made orthotic. This orthotic is a plastic appliance, which is fabricated to the specifications of which bite position your jaw should be at its ideal relaxed state. The orthotic does not permanently alter the teeth or the bite, it merely allows your muscles to relax and repair themselves. Generally, if the jaw was the primary factor causing these headaches, the orthotic will bring immediate relief. After a period of time of confirming the ideal new position for your bite (called the optimal neuromuscular occlusion), optimum long-term treatment plans can be discussed to permanently resolve the headache problems and permanently correct your bite to the proper occlusion.

Conclusion- If you are a sufferer of chronic headaches, jaw or facial pain, and/or neck or ear pain, consider setting up an appointment with me to discuss these symptoms. The dental connection involving the relationship between the teeth, jaw joints, the head and neck muscles, and head posture is an intricate and important factor related to your overall health and comfort.

Dr Thomas Meyer of The Meyer Dental Group in Des Plaines, has earned his Fellowship Membership in the International College of Cranio-Mandibular Orthopedics, is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry, the Chicago Dental Society, the American Dental Association, and a graduate of the prestigious Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Cosmetic Dental Studies. He has been specialized in and successfully practicing Neuromuscular dentistry for 12 years.

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Dr. Thomas L. Meyer - Providing services in cosmetic dentistry, tmj and neuromuscular dentistry to the areas of Chicago and Des Plaines, Illinois.