Headache Treatment Castle Rock, CO
Treatment for Tension Headaches and Migraines
Did you know that chronic headaches and migraines could actually be triggered by a dental issue? Fortunately, solutions are available.
An NTI appliance, a small splint worn between your front teeth while you sleep, treats jaw pain and also addresses headaches associated with TMJ pain (pain in the temporomandibular joints, wheref your lower jaw and upper jaw connect). The NTI appliance encourages relaxation of tense muscles and inflamed joints that trigger headaches, allowing your facial muscles, head, and neck to experience dramatic relief.
Tension headaches are common when the upper and lower jaw generate excessive force during sleep. We routinely see frequent headache sufferers have a significant reduction in their headaches by simply wearing a custom-made NTI oral appliance while they sleep. Patients no longer create tension with their jaw muscles during sleep, minimizing the muscle inflammation and pain that they wake up with. This means a better night's sleep and better, headache-free days.
What Causes Jaw Pain?
Jaw pain and headaches are often intimately related. At Oakwood Dental in Castle Rock, CO, we provide our patients with solutions that provide relief from TMJ dysfunction.
Jaw pain often develops from teeth clenching and grinding, a habit called bruxism. Bruxism occurs most often during sleep, but sometimes occurs during the day, especially during stressful situations.
Millions of Americans suffer from bruxism. Sometimes the cause of this painful condition cannot be identified, but certain lifestyle factors can make it worse:
- Stress
- Certain medications
- Alcohol use
- Drug use
- Smoking
- Caffeine
A misaligned bite, called malocclusion, can also contribute to a bruxism habit.
Research has also linked TMJ disorders with the female hormone, estrogen, though it affects both men and women.
Diagnosing TMJ Dysfunction
When you come to our dental office for a jaw evaluation, our dentists will look for signs of a bruxism habit.
Signs of clenching and grinding include:
- Cracked or damaged teeth
- Bite marks inside your cheeks
- Premature wear and chipped teeth
- Bony growths, called tori, under your tongue
- Clicking, popping, or locking of the jaw joints
- Muscular and facial pain
- Tooth sensitivity
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Headaches and migraines
- Shoulder or neck pain
Your symptoms may come and go or remain constant and they sometimes worsen with time.
Treating TMJ and Bruxism in 80104
Brandt Jones can reduce or eliminate the symptoms associated with a clenching and grinding habit with a custom-made NTI. The purpose of NTI appliances is to allow your jaw muscles to relax by controlling the tension you create when you clench and grind your teeth.
When we treat the underlying cause of your jaw problems, we can reduce inflammation and help your jaw joints seek a comfortable position that promotes healthy joints. Without treating your underlying teeth grinding habit, we can only treat symptoms.
Other TMJ Treatments
In addition to the highly effective NTI device, we may recommend the following treatments to provide health and comfort to your jaw joints:
- Orthodontics (to properly align your teeth)
- Restorations (to rebuild your bite)
- Occlusal equilibration (slight adjustments to the surfaces of your teeth)
- BOTOX® (to reduce the power your jaw muscles can exert)
Often, a combination of treatments will give you the best results and allow you to sleep soundly and enjoy pain-free days.
Does Your Jaw Hurt?
Contact us right away. We can help. Constant pain can make day-to-day life exhausting, and headaches can interfere with your productivity. Our dentists have helped hundreds of patients gain relief through custom oral appliance therapy.
Dr. Brandt Jones is a Colorado native. He grew up in Denver, where he attended John F. Kennedy High School. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in 2001 and graduated with honors from the University of Colorado in 2005, receiving his DDS degree.
Advanced Dental Training
Since he began practicing dentistry, Dr. Jones has completed hundreds of hours of continuing education courses, ensuring that his patients receive the most comprehensive and advanced dental care available. Dr. Jones received the title "Best of the Best" in Douglas County …
I wanted to tell you how terrific the new mouth guard is working out. I was experiencing migraines on an almost daily basis when I first came to you. I had a feeling I was clenching my teeth and jaw. You made me my custom mouth guard and it seemed that the migraines went away instantaneously. As long as I wear the mouth guard the migraines cease to appear.
I cannot thank you enough for the relief this product has given me. I would recommend the “mouth guard” to anyone who suffers migraines at night due to clenching the jaw or grinding the teeth.
-Cathi C.
Bruxism is a condition caused by the clenching of the jaw, which leads to grinding of the teeth. It is an incredibly common habit that typically happens unconsciously while sleeping, but can also happen at any time during the day. Clenching of the jaw and grinding of the teeth typically begins as a conscious habit during stressful, anxious, frustrating or angry moments. Over time, it easily becomes an unconscious habit that is hard to stop. In very rare occasions, bruxism can be caused by certain medications that are meant to treat depression.
Occlusal Gaurd Therapy
When clenching or grinding occurs, it causes wear on your teeth, can lead to a tooth fracture, jaw pain and/or limited jaw mobility, as well as headaches and compromised sleep. While there is no specific cure for bruxism, Oakwood Dental can help treat this condition and manage the symptoms with an occlusal guard. Also known as an NTI, an occlusal guard is a custom-fitted oral appliance designed to wear while you sleep, that prevents you from clenching and/or grinding and causing further damage to your jaw and teeth. This is a quick appointment done in our office and completed the same day for your convenience.
Many people suffer from jaw popping, clicking, or locking. These symptoms are often an indication that your jaw joint is suffering from a condition called TMJ or TMD, temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
Symptoms of TMD
TMD often occurs when patients have a nighttime clenching and grinding habit, known as bruxism. Though your symptoms may come and go, seeking treatment is essential to prevent joint degeneration that may lead to continued symptoms and arthritis.
Oral Appliance Therapy in 80104
We provide a non-invasive treatment for TMD at Oakwood Dental using oral appliance therapy. A customized nightguard can reduce, or in some cases eliminate, symptoms such as tension-type headaches and migraines and relieve the underlying condition by reducing inflammation. When your muscles relax, your jaw can rest in its ideal position. We see dramatic results using customized nightguards, and patients continually report drastic headache reduction both in frequency and severity. Many patients even see an elimination of headaches and migraines when wearing their specialized nightguard.
Failure to treat TMD in its earliest stages may mean that you need more invasive treatment in the future, including surgery. By acting now to address your symptoms, you may be able to avoid more painful and costly treatment in the future.
Contact Our Castle Rock Dental Clinic
Join the ranks of our many patients who have found relief from bruxism and TMJ dysfunction by contacting our Castle Rock, Colorado, dental office and scheduling an evaluation with Dr. Brandt Jones DDS.
Are you suffering from the unfortunate side effects of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ)? At Oakwood Dental, we offer solutions for problems caused by TMJ and bruxism in Castle Rock, CO.
Relief from Your TMJ Pain
If you struggle with pain, migraines, and jaw tenderness, there’s a good chance you need professional medical help. Rather than searching for new “TMJ treatment near me,” you can turn to your trusted Castle Rock dentist, Dr. Brandt Jones. Dr. Jones and our talented team of dental hygienists and assistants have years of experience helping patients find …
Most everyone gets an occasional headache that’s easy to get rid of with over-the-counter pain medications. But if you wake up every day with headaches or pain your neck, jaw, or shoulders, there’s a good chance you’re clenching or grinding your teeth while you sleep.
Teeth Grinding and Headaches
Teeth grinding or bruxism affects millions and leads to pain and worn, cracked, or broken teeth. When you grind your teeth, the muscles in your jaw tense up. The pain spreads to other muscles on the sides and top of the head that …