Dental Topics

Chronic Headache Pain

Many chronic headaches that have been incorrectly diagnosed as migraine or sinus headaches are in fact muscle spasm headaches caused by temporomandibular joint dysfunction. TMJ is a syndrome that develops when the teeth and bite are not in harmony with the jaw joint.

To check to see if you have TMJ dysfunction, do you have any of the following symptoms?

1. Head or neck aches.
2. Sensitive teeth to cold or heat.
3. Worn or broken teeth.
4. Loose teeth.
5. Receding gums.
6. Notching of teeth at the gum line.

Most people who clench or grind their teeth are completely unaware that they have a problem. If you have any of the above symptoms you may have TMJ dysfunction syndrome. Treatment is safe and gentle, especially if you catch it early enough to avoid permanent long term damage. Treatment can usually be done without the use of braces.