Neuromuscular Dentistry/TMD in Cary and Holly Springs, NC

Why does temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) cause headaches?

When your muscles are continuously contracting due to a misaligned jaw joint, the muscle fibers enlarge and build tension or pressure in the face, neck, jaw and shoulders. The tension confines the blood flow to the area. In response, the body, sends more blood, increasing blood pressure in the head and causing these tension headaches. Likewise, when you grind your teeth, which is another symptom of TMD, muscles are made tense and get worn out, which can also lead to your headaches.

Your bite may have something to say about your headaches. Contact Stanley Dentistry to schedule your comprehensive exam.

Headaches, related to TMD, are often misdiagnosed as migraines. Doctors prescribe pain medication, which will help alleviate your pain temporarily, but it will not fix the problem.

Stanley Dentistry will properly align the temporomandibular joint, allowing the muscles around your jaw to relax and feel better, and we will recommend a mixture of procedures to correct your bite and ensuring proper alignment of your (temporomandibular joint) TMJ.

TMD, or temporomandibular joint disorder, can cause a wide variety of symptoms. Some of the symptoms may feel non-related to the face or jaw at all, including:

• Headaches or migraines
• Unexplained loose teeth
• Worn, chipped or cracked teeth
• Pain or soreness around the jaw joints
• Pain in teeth that seems to move around Neck, shoulder or back pain
• Facial pain
• Clicking sounds in the jaw joints
• Limited movement or locking jaw
• Numbness in your fingers and arms

A frequent symptom of TMD is relentless headaches. If you suffer from constant headaches and haven’t been able to find other causes, your headaches may be related to TMD. Typically a tension type of headache is associated with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). When the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is not functioning properly, it can lead to terrible tension headaches that a neuromuscular dentist, not a doctor, can diagnose and treat.

A healthy smile is more than just beautiful teeth. A healthy smile is when the muscles, bones, teeth and nerves are all working in harmony. When the teeth are misaligned (malocclusion) they cannot provide the support the muscles in the face need for chewing and swallowing.

Contact Stanley Dentistry today to schedule your comprehensive exam!