If you have ever had the unfortunate experience of having a migraine, you know how terrible they can be. Migraines can make it difficult to focus, study, or work. As a result, they can have an impact on your life beyond the immediate sensory experience. Migraines caused by TMD are different than common headaches even though the symptoms may appear similar. Migraine pain that is caused by TMD can include:
- Earaches or ear pain
- Difficulty opening, closing, or moving your mouth
- Grinding or popping sounds in the jaw joint
- Pain or soreness in the jaw
- Tightness in the face, jaw, or neck
Dr. Paul Deratnay offers personalized solutions to treat your TMJ migraine pain. Our approach is designed to treat the source of the problem as opposed to just treating the symptoms. Although symptoms can be easily treated, it does not address the source of your TMJ pain. This TMJ pain is often caused when there is some sort of impairment to the TMJ. The TMJ is a joint which connects your mandible (lower jaw) and gives you the ability to move your jaw in different positions, such as up and down, or back and forth. It allows you to do tasks such as speaking, chewing, or yawning. The TMJ can become impaired through genetic factors, injury, or stress.
During your consultation, Dr. Paul Deratnay will carefully examine your oral tissues. In addition, he will also check your oral health, medical history, and lifestyle. All these factors play a role in your health. For example, if you work in a stressful workplace, you may be at risk of causing stress to your TMJ if you grind your teeth.
Once we have determined your diagnosis, we will create your personalized treatment plan. One way that may be recommended to treat TMD is through the use of stabilization splints. These are custom-made oral appliances that can be worn while sleeping to help reduce the risk of nighttime grinding. Since the stabilization splints are customized to your mouth’s specifications, they will not trigger the gag reflex of most patients.
Contact our Forest Hill dentist today or set up an appointment online.