Migraine
Many head neck and jaw problems relate to stress and tension and will go as quickly as they come. Some however arise or can be made worse by our top and bottom teeth meeting incorrectly - an imbalance in the
OCCLUSION.
This imbalance can be the cause of many problems such as:
· MIGRAINE
·
HEADACHES
· TINITUS
· CLICKING JAW
· NECK, BACK & SHOULDER PAIN
There are a number of treatments available to firstly relieve acute symptoms and restore normal jaw movements, then to help the jaw return to its normal position, and finally, if necessary, to adjust the shape of the tooth surfaces to allow the teeth to meet correctly and stop the problem recurring.
OCCLUSAL SPLINTS
Hard acrylic "gumshields" can be constructed to fit precisely over the lower teeth to create an artificial tooth surface that meets perfectly with the upper teeth allowing the jaw joint to seat correctly and full relaxation of all of the associated muscles. It is very commonly the stresses and spasms in these muscles that manifest as the symptoms listed above.
Treatment with such a splint over a period of time can alleviate these symptoms completely.
OCCLUSAL EQUILIBRATION
Following splint therapy and relief of symptoms, the problems are likely to return, unless the perfect balance achieved artificially using plastic is repeated by adjusting the real tooth surfaces in the same way.
This is a very precise procedure whereby minute amounts of tooth tissue are polished off to remove the interferences that stop the teeth meeting correctly. Some sensitivity may be experienced following this procedure but this is only short lived.
In short, a combination of the above treatments can provide relief from long-term pain and an alternative to daily Drug Therapy.