Cosmetic Dentistry Directory Blog

If you routinely suffer from painful headaches with symptoms similar to migraines, you’ve probably already visited your doctor in an attempt to determine the source. While doctors can prescribe effective pain medication to help keep the symptoms at bay, they are often unable to diagnose the exact cause of these headaches, or else assume they are the same as any other type of migraine.

Many people don’t realize that headaches like these – along with a number of other painful symptoms – are often triggered by the displacement of a delicate joint in your jaw called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This joint is intimately connected with the muscles, nerves, and tendons in your neck, shoulders, and back. If the joint is even slightly out of place, so are the rest of these tissues, resulting in swelling and inflammation that interferes with your jaw’s natural movement. This is termed temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). The resulting pain manifests itself in various ways, with one of the most common symptoms being chronic, migraine-like headaches.

A neuromuscular dentist can diagnose you for TMD using a device called a TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) unit. This device stimulates your nerves through a series of brief electrical impulses, relaxing your jaw muscles and allowing your dentist to determine your correct jaw position. Many patients instantly feel relief when the TENS unit is used, since their jaws have finally been allowed to return to their ideal alignment. If it is determined that TMD is in fact the source of your headaches, your neuromuscular dentist can develop a TMD treatment plan to help you obtain permanent, long-term relief.

Many cosmetic dentists are also trained in neuromuscular dentistry. If you believe you may be experiencing symptoms of TMD, contact an experienced neuromuscular dentist in your area today using the Cosmetic Dentistry Directory.