People don't generally think of a dentist as the healthcare professional to see for recurring headaches or even migraines; yet we can play a role in diagnosing and even treating your condition. That's because quite often, recurring pain that is felt in the area of the temples on the sides of the head is actually caused by unconscious habits of clenching and/or grinding the teeth and malocclusion . These habits, which often manifest during sleep, put tremendous pressure on the muscles that work your jaw joint, also called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Sources of Relief
The first thing we need to do is give you a thorough oral exam to determine if there is evidence of a clenching or grinding (also known as “bruxing”) habit or TMD. If so, there are things we can recommend for immediate and long-term relief.