Why Do You Have Headaches and Jaw Pain?

If you often wake with a sore feeling in your jaw, it could be more serious than just sleeping funny. Experiencing facial pain, migraines, insomnia, vertigo, and popping or clicking in your jaw is not normal. Instead of readjusting, trying to sleep with your mouth closed, or sleeping in a different position, you might want to call your Fort Atkinson family dentist!

Oftentimes, jaw pain is a direct result of TMJ (temporomandibular joint disease). Other than facial pain, TMJ can also cause ear pain, neck aches, and intense headaches or migraines. In order to treat your TMJ symptoms, you’ll have to visit a TMJ specialist for the best treatments for TMJ.

Facial Pain and the Jaw

You may be wondering, what does my facial pain have to do with my jaw? It’s a good question to have! The answer is a simple one: most pain and tension in your head is related to the muscles that surround the area. When your muscles are misaligned, you can experience more pain.

Migraines and headaches are actually the most common complaint we hear from our TMJ patients. The temporalis muscle connects your jaw to your temporal bone, and it is a known cause of temporal headaches. For example, people who grind their teeth often wake with these painful headaches.

Furthermore, facial and neck pain come from similar aches. When your jaw is misaligned, you overwork your muscles. By overworking your muscles, they become tense, clenching more often. This tension builds up in your face, jaw, and neck until you are sore and uncomfortable.

Treating TMJ

At BKS Dental, our dentists are experts on TMJ and they want to help you feel better. That’s why we opened Bite Align!

When you come into our office with facial pain, we will run a diagnosis to see if you have TMJ or not. This testing includes your patient history, a physical examination, and a consultation. In the consultation, you will talk to your dentist about your pain, medical and dental history, and past treatments. During the examination, your dentist will study how your teeth fit together, your jaw movements, joint sounds, as well as the alignment of your muscles around your head and neck.

When your dentist comes to a conclusion, we will discuss a proposed treatment plan with you. With x-rays, photos, models of teeth, and diagnostic computer tests, we will help you treat your TMJ and alleviate your pain.

Your TMJ Experts in Fort Atkinson, WI

Pain is your body’s way of telling you that you need to get help. If you are experiencing pain in your jaw, neck, or face, please see a dentist or a doctor. To schedule an appointment with your dentists at BKS Dental, call us at (920) 563-7323 or message us online.