We get to the source of TMJ trouble and chronic migraines for actual relief from painful symptoms
The dentist’s office may not seem like the natural or first place to turn to for relief from chronic headaches or migraines. Yet, radiating head, face, neck, back, ear, and shoulder pain, can all stem from the very structures and types of conditions that Aesthetic Dental Creations in Jackson, New Jersey is designed to treat oral and maxillofacial imbalances and stressors.
Furthermore, Dr. Balaji Srinivasan is a renowned Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Training graduate. Such training has provided Dr. Srinivasan comprehensive insights into neuromuscular dentistry and the connections between the teeth, temporomandibular joints (TMJ), bone, ligaments, discs, soft tissues, muscles, and other parts of this “system” that must work together to support healthy, comfortable functions.
When even one aspect of this “system” is stressed or not “balanced,” it can affect how opening and closing your mouth feels and the ease with which you open and close your mouth, or otherwise use your teeth and jaws. There are some characteristic complaints that are primarily classified as “TMJ symptoms,” a reference to the joints or “hinges” that connect the skull and jaws on either side of our faces. These symptoms include:
- Jaw stiffness or “lockjaw”
- Earaches
- Ringing in the ears (“tinnitus”)
- Noisy jaw, clicking, or popping sounds when opening and closing the mouth
- Frequent headaches
- Jaw soreness
- Excessive wear and tear on the teeth
- Changes with “bite,” the relationship between the opposing upper and lower teeth in the jaws
The last “symptom,” bad bite, is also implicated in the development of TMJ symptoms or TMJD (TMJ dysfunction or disorders). Wear and tear may be related to bruxism, or chronic teeth grinding, a condition that has also been implicated in TMJD. Basically, any time the TM joints are stressed beyond their limits, be it by bite imbalances or the force placed on the teeth and jaws when bruxing, symptoms can arise. These symptoms may worsen over time without appropriate treatment. Of course, the nature of treatment depends on what Dr. Srinivasan finds during your evaluation at our office.
He may determine orthodontic appliances reposition the teeth and correct bite problems are appropriate and aid in resolving debilitating symptoms. Better bites may also be achieved with a seemingly simple repair or replacement of worn or damaged dental restorations. Patients who brux their teeth and experience headaches have experienced an improvement in the severity and frequency of their symptoms. When using other oral appliances, such as mouthguards to protect the teeth from the extreme forces placed on them from chronic bruxism or splints that prevent the back teeth from touching. In repositioning the bite during sleep, bruxers cannot generate the extreme forces that ultimately contribute to headaches, migraines, pain, and other symptoms, which can break the teeth or dental work.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ways to provide lasting and real relief from TMJ pain and symptoms. Call (732) 451-3570 to embark on this journey to better health and an improved quality of life with us, your trusted team for advanced and neuromuscular dentistry: Aesthetic Dental Creations!
Dr. Balaji Srinivasan talks about TMJ
Dr. Balaji Srinivasan is inspired by the passion and purpose he discovers in dentistry and strives to provide his clients with exceptional services. He graduated from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. He then attended Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska, and a residency program in Advanced General Dentistry at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In 1997, he established Madison Avenue Dental Associates, where he worked for ten years. He then established Aesthetic Dental Creations in Jackson, New Jersey, in 2008 and has not looked back since.
Dr. Srinivasan is an alumnus of the world-renowned Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Training. He has received specialized training in adhesive dentistry and smile design. Dr. Srinivasan is also very effective at treating migraine/headaches because of his expertise in neuromuscular(physiologic) dentistry. He has lectured to dentists at Monmouth Medical Center on various topics. You can count on him to make your dental visit as pleasant as possible!