How can my headaches be jaw-related?

Headaches are a common occurrence but sometimes they can have dental causes…

If you suffer from chronic headaches, they could actually be a symptom of jaw dysfunction! TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) is a condition that affects the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) located just at the front of the ears. When the jaw is misaligned or the patient suffers from malocclusion, this creates extra stress on the joints causing them to overcompensate. As a result you can suffer from:

• Headaches
• Back and neck pain
• Jaws that can become stuck or ‘locked’
• Difficulty chewing

At Smile Dynamics in East Wahroonga we can help relieve the effects of TMD by treating it at the source. We will conduct a full examination of your TMJ, neck, head and facial muscles with our computer diagnostic system to measure the sounds, muscle balance, your jaw position and occlusion.