Do you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines? The truth is that many headaches and migraines are triggered by atypical muscle activity, usually in the form of teeth grinding or clenching.
Our Bucks County dentists have helped many patients significantly reduce the intensity of their headache/migraine pain, lessen the frequency, or eliminate migraines altogether! Many patients no longer need prescription medications to alleviate their discomfort.
Did you know there are more than 200 types of headaches? While headaches can be caused by a variety of issues, there is often a muscular component. In oral health, these can be caused by issues such as misaligned teeth and parafunction like bruxism.
A “parafunction” in dentistry is any type of disordered movement that can negatively impact health and function.
Common parafunctions in dentistry include bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching) and fingernail biting. Often, teeth clenching occurs at night when we are asleep, and we may not even realize it is happening!
The muscular tension that can build up in the jaw and face due to parafunctions like bruxism can significantly contribute to headaches and migraines.
Misaligned teeth or issues with your bite can also cause muscular tension and chronic pain. Similarly, poor posture (such as "tech neck") can create tension in your head, neck, and upper back muscles, contributing to headaches.
Bucks County Smiles helps a variety of patients in Yardley, PA, with chronic migraines and persistent headaches. We have worked with patients of all ages and can provide a variety of solutions to meet your personal needs as well as the needs of your family. To learn more about all the services offered at Bucks County Smiles, call us at (267) 365-3004.
When you come to Bucks County Smiles for migraine and headache treatment, you will be thoroughly assessed for the cause of the chronic pain. Just taking pain medication won’t stop the cause – it just masks it. In working with us, you may discover that unconscious habits, such as nighttime teeth grinding, are at the root of your headache problem. In many cases, through our safe interventions, the root cause can be eliminated, virtually “curing” you of your headaches.
Bucks County Smiles offers a number of solutions to help reduce the intensity and frequency of headaches and migraines. Many of these solutions work to reduce muscular tension and thus pain. These treatment options include oral appliances, injections (Botox® or Xeomin®), and orthodontics to improve the bite.
Oral appliances are often helpful in bruxism cases with chronic teeth grinding and clenching. The “Release Appliance” is a device that snaps into place and fits comfortably on either the upper or lower front teeth. It is worn during sleep (occasionally during the day) and prevents the intensity of muscular parafunction.
In some cases, conservative treatment of overactive muscles with botulinum toxin (Botox®, Xeomin®) in small doses can “reset” the muscles, in turn relieving tension, muscle pain, and headaches. This therapeutic amount of neuromodulator carries very low risk and provides relief for many suffering from head and neck pain.
Orthodontic treatments, including Invisalign and smile design, can aid in the reduction of functional dental problems related to migraines and headaches. For those patients with severely damaged teeth, dental implants and dentures are often the best options.
At Bucks County Smiles, we pride ourselves in working seamlessly with your existing healthcare team to diagnose, treat, and resolve common problems related to oral health. When it comes to migraine and headache treatment, we will also collaborate with your existing healthcare team on supporting any necessary interventions and lifestyle adjustments to help give you a pain-free life.
If you would like relief from chronic migraines and headaches in Yardley, PA, contact Bucks County Smile for an appointment at (267) 365-3004.
