TMD and Headaches

San Diego, Encinitas, and Carlsbad, California

TMD, or temporomandibular joint disorder, causes a wide range of symptoms, including many that do not seem to be related to the face or jaw at all. One common symptom of TMD is persistent headaches. If you suffer from persistent headaches and have been unable to find other causes, your headaches may be related to TMD. San Diego, California area neuromuscular dentist Dr. Mary Walsh-Cole can help provide a diagnosis and treatment for TMD related headaches.

How TMD Causes Headaches

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint where the lower jaw meets the temporal bone of the skull. This joint can become misaligned due to crooked teeth, problems with the alignment of your bite, or tight muscles in the jaw due to stress. Several major nerves pass through this area, and the tension that results from a misaligned TMJ can compress these nerves, leading to painful, persistent headaches.

Other symptoms of TMD can include:

Jaw pain
Clicking in the jaw joint
Earache
Neck and shoulder pain
Pain in the upper back
Numbness in the hands

This wide variety of symptoms shows in part why TMD can be so difficult to diagnose. If you have any of these symptoms and suspect TMD might be the cause, a neuromuscular dentist like Dr. Walsh-Cole will be best able to diagnose and treat your problem.

Treating TMD

Treatments for TMD vary widely depending on what is causing your misalignment. Dr. Walsh-Cole will evaluate your bite and the position of the TMJ to determine the best way to treat your condition. She will determine the proper alignment of your jaw, then recommend a combination of procedures to correct your bite and thus ensure proper TMJ alignment.

Typical treatments used for TMD include:

Porcelain veneers
Orthodontic procedures such as Invisalign® or braces
Mouth guards to prevent teeth grinding
Dental crowns

Often a successful TMD treatment consists of a combination of these procedures in order to address the full range of issues causing your discomfort, including TMD related headaches.

For more information about TMD and headaches, or to schedule a consultation, please contact the San Diego, Encinitas and Carlsbad, California neuromuscular dentistry offices of Mary Walsh-Cole, DMD.