Jaw issues, teeth grinding, and an uneven bite can all cause headaches and facial pain — and a dentist can help.
Headaches
When headaches start in your jaw
Headaches
A dental cause, hiding in plain sight
Headaches can be genuinely debilitating, affecting daily life and productivity — and while many things can cause them, dental issues are a common contributor that often go overlooked. Jaw problems (TMJD), teeth grinding, and a misaligned bite can all play a role, each puts extra strain on your jaw and facial muscles in a slightly different way, but all three are things a dentist is trained to spot.
How it’s diagnosed
A proper evaluation, not a guess
Dentists are trained to assess your oral and dental structures to identify what might be contributing to your headaches. Through a thorough evaluation, your dentist can work out whether jaw problems, grinding your teeth, or a misaligned bite is playing a role.
Treating it with an oral appliance
A custom splint or mouthguard
Once the cause is identified, your dentist can design and fit a custom oral appliance — a splint or mouthguard — to ease the strain on your jaw joints, reduce grinding, and help your bite sit more evenly. It's a simple device that does a lot of quiet work.
Correcting a misaligned bite
When the bite itself needs fixing
If malocclusion is the underlying cause, orthodontic treatment or dental restorations can help correct your bite. Realigning things this way spreads the forces of biting more evenly, easing the strain on your jaw joints and helping reduce how often headaches happen.
When more specialist care is needed
Working with other specialists, when it helps
In more complex cases, your dentist may work alongside pain specialists or physical therapists, taking a comprehensive approach to managing your headaches properly.
Ready to find out what's behind your headaches?
Contact us now to arrange an appointment.