If you have any of the following please read on...

Often people with some of the above conditions will be either clenching and or grinding their teeth to the point of causing some type of damage.

In around 80% of cases people will be clenching or grinding there teeth with absolutely no realization. Often the clenching or grinding will occur while sleeping. The amount of jaw muscle contraction has been measured while sleeping with an electronic device and has been found to be up to 10 times more force than when food is being chewed!

The damage may involve muscles, nerves, joints or the teeth themselves.

This condition is known as TMJ or TEMPERO-MANDIBULAR JOINT SYNDROME. It is called a "syndrome' because of its wide range of varying symptoms.

We can do a thorough examination to determine if you have the condition and what type of treatment is most suitable for you.

Treatment can range from…

relaxation techniques, muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory medications, customized mouth devices also known as Bite Splints

The details below focuses on people who may clench or clamp together and may not grind at all. This group of people are more prone to headache type symptoms and is only one example of the type of treatment we can offer our patients.

What symptoms may be associated with clenching?

Some people who clench have headaches or migraine and/or necks that are stiff and sore. Their ears sometimes itch, tingle, ring, or feel stuffy, plugged, or clogged. They may be constantly trying to clean their ears, or at least they're sticking something into their ears, just to scratch. Their jaws may be stiff and sore, and fatigue easily after a chewy meal. They may also have recurring 'sinus' headaches, although their physicians have assured them that their sinuses are within normal limits.

Typically, People clench intensely for prolonged periods without any realisation and wake up with a headache. Most of the time the headache is focused in the temporal region and often extends to the forehead. Occasionally, the headache comes from the back of the neck, at the base of the skull (some patients get only this kind of neck pain, particularly when the lower jaw is positioned slightly forward).

They may have visited a chiropractor or physiotherapist several times, with limited improvement.

In addition to their headaches, people who clench intensely typically suffer from other symptoms. Their teeth are sensitive to cold and may be worn or chipped. The teeth may also develop fractures and become painful from time to time when used to chew certain foods such as grainy breads. Also, The teeth occasionally experience 'phantom' toothaches (their dentist cannot find a reason for the pain). Many have experienced episodes at a dental practice in which a tooth wouldn't get numb after several injections.

The temporalis muscle is like a fan on the side of your head. If you press the temporalis muscle firmly above the ear with your finger and you notice discomfort then a bite splint is likely to help reduce tension in this muscle. The bite splint stops you from clamping your teeth heavily together. The muscle is then allowed to relax and will stop fatiguing and causing headache / migraine.

Surprising new headache and migraine prevention: FDA approves new neuromuscular suppression device 82% of headache / migraine sufferers have 77% pain reduction without drugs

The field of migraine prevention therapy has been at somewhat of a standstill. Although numerous drugs are now on the market that are intended to subdue migraine pain after the attack has already begun, preventing migraine has been less than satisfactory.

However, research has found one common factor to all migraine and tension type headache sufferers: tender and sore temple and scalp muscles caused by intense and prolonged jaw clenching during sleep. Not teeth grinding, but jaw clenching...and there is a world of difference.

The FDA has recently approved the first non-drug, no side effect method for migraine/headache prevention. This is a small and comfortable specialised device (mouthpiece) that only allows your front teeth to contact while you sleep. The device is known as the Nti-Tss imported from the USA and also the MCI device has been produced in Australia. Both devices have the same method of action.

The device must be custom fitted by a dentist. And why just the front teeth? Because that prevents the back teeth from coming into contact. Without the back teeth contacting, jaw clenching intensity is reduced by two-thirds!

The device takes advantage of the protective reflex which suppresses the temporalis muscle from contracting to its fullest intensity.

In clinical trials, 82% of migraine/headache sufferers who used the device for eight weeks had a 77% average reduction in migraine attacks, and were continuing to improve. There were no side-effects or adverse results.

What do teeth have to do with headache and migraine pain?

Actually, teeth have nothing to do with headaches and migraine pain. It doesn't matter what kind of teeth you have, or where your teeth are located, but it does matter what you do with the muscles that control your teeth (like clench).

So the best way to prevent migraine, instead of putting a pill in your stomach, you put a device on your teeth!

For your migraine / headache assessment please contact enhancedental
on (03) 9533-8488.