Headaches can be caused by many factors, including stress, alcohol overuse, sleep loss, skipped meals, or even hidden medical conditions. However, many people are unaware that headaches can also be provoked by dental issues, particularly problems with a misaligned bite.
Suppose you’re plagued with recurring headaches and are at a loss for a reason. In that case, an evaluation by Dr. David Lamothe from Smyrna Dental, Smyrna, Georgia, can determine if your pain stems from unresolved dental issues. Diagnosing your condition is the first step to helping you find headache pain relief.
Malocclusion is the dental term used for bite issues. When dentists talk about your “bite,” they’re referring to the way your top and bottom teeth fit when put together. Ideally, they should line up perfectly so that when you chew, there’s no stress on your teeth or the muscles or joints of your jaw. When your bite doesn’t align properly, you have what’s called a malocclusion or bite misalignment.
A misaligned bite can put undue stress on jaw muscles and joints, causing face, head, or neck pain. TMJ is a condition where malocclusion stresses the temporomandibular joints located at the base of your jaw, which is highly sensitive to stimuli. People with this condition often clench and grind their teeth involuntarily, leading to head or facial pain. TMJ can cause mild or severe head pain and can be the source of different headaches, including chronic headaches, migraines, cluster headaches, etc.
If your headaches stem from problems with your bite, resolving these issues can help reduce your pain and discomfort. Dr. Lamothe has ample experience addressing malocclusion issues and can recommend treatment options. We’ll start with a thorough dental evaluation to determine the state of your teeth, gums, and mouth, to include bite alignment and balance. This information will enable us to customize a treatment plan to suit your needs.
Our dental solutions to bite issues include both in-office and home treatments. In-office treatments may involve light and ultrasound therapy, muscle manipulation, and electrical stimulation to correct misalignment issues. You can do jaw exercises at home and use a dental orthotic device to help reposition your jaw for relief of TMJ symptoms. Dr. Lamothe will also provide you with valuable tips for relieving headaches caused by bite issues. Getting an accurate diagnosis of bite misalignment issues is the first step to developing a dental treatment plan that can provide you with long-term headache relief.
To learn more about our malocclusion treatments, contact Smyrna Dental at (678) 374-3764 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lamothe at your earliest convenience. We accept most dental insurance plans to help cover the cost of malocclusion treatment and offer payment plan options for individuals who don’t have insurance coverage to enable as many people as possible to benefit from our services.
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