Neuromuscular Dentistry and Headaches: A New Jersey Dentist Can Help Cure Your Headaches!
Our New Jersey Dental Office May Be Able to Help you!
There has been an increased interest recently about neuromuscular dentistry. I’ve had several new patients seek me out specifically for treatment of their headaches. Headaches are a difficult and frustrating malady to treat because there are so many causes, and different combinations of factors will trigger headaches in different people. We have, however, been able to help over 80% of the patients we have treated.
The biggest trigger we have found at our New Jersey Dentist Office relates to the bite – the way the upper and lower teeth come together. Ideally, when relaxed and balanced muscles close the jaw, the teeth will fit together evenly and at the same time. It’s rare to find an ideal bite like this. Usually, the teeth fit together slightly off to one side, or slightly forward or back from this ideal position. This is not a problem for most people since we all adapt to our asymmetries and imperfections. For some people, however, the discrepancy is too large, or their ability to adapt is too small, and the problems begin. The muscles have to work too hard to maintain this position, they begin to spasm, and they trigger headaches.
Our teeth come together hundreds of times each day- when we eat and swallow, and if we clench or grind our teeth the problem is greatly magnified. It’s like walking around all day with a pebble in your shoe. It might start out as a small annoyance, but it soon turns into a big pain.
The goal of neuromuscular dentistry is to identify the most comfortable bite for the patient. We use computerized equipment to measure the precise spot where the relaxed facial muscles want the teeth to come together. We measure the difference between that position and where the teeth currently do meet, and come up with a plan to make the correction. It’s amazing how soon after the bite is corrected the muscles calm down and the symptom improve. There are other methods our dental office uses to relieve headaches, but neuromuscular dentistry is very effective.
Yours in Health,