Headache & TMJ Therapy

Frequent headaches, tooth and jaw pain, and facial tension can all be symptoms of a condition commonly referred to as “TMJ”. The TMJ is the temporomandibular joint that connects the jaw to the skull and can be affected by patients who clench or grind their teeth.

Night guards cover one arch in the mouth (typically the upper) and are worn at night by patients who grind their teeth. They act as a cushion between the upper and lower teeth so that as a person continues to grind, they damage the acrylic guard and not their natural teeth.

For patients who clench their teeth and suffer from jaw tightness and/or headaches, a different type of appliance is indicated. The NTI appliance is a small guard typically worn over only the lower six front teeth. When only the front teeth are engaged and the back teeth do not touch, the brain’s signal to clench is turned off which significantly decreases the ability of your muscles to contract/clench.