Some things are obvious signs that something is wrong with your dental health, like a persistent toothache or chronically bad breath. Other symptoms, however, may not be obviously connected to your dental health, such as chronic headaches related to TMJ disorder. As one of the more complex dental health issues, TMJ disorder can affect virtually every aspect of your dental health. It can also aggravate the nerve that innervates much of your head, neck, and facial structures, which makes chronic headaches a common sign of TMJ disorder.
What Is TMJ Disorder?
TMJs, or temporomandibular joints, are the two joints that connect your lower jaw (mandible) to your skull. To work properly, both joints must move at the same time and to the same degree. Otherwise, the joints and the muscles around them have to work overtime to open and close your mouth. Over time, this can exhaust and/or damage the joints, leading to chronic pain, tissue inflammation, joint misalignment, and more.
The Connection Between Jaw Pain and Headaches
In addition to your TMJs and jaw muscles, your jaw’s movement is also controlled by your trigeminal nerve—the large, three-branch nerve that dominates your cranial nerve input. TMJ joints are located close to this nerve, and when they’re inflamed or misaligned, the disturbance can register as discomfort throughout the nerve’s pathway. Therefore, the symptoms of TMJ disorder can extend beyond jaw pain to include chronic headaches and migraines, earaches, soreness in your neck and facial muscles, and more. The diverse range of symptoms can often make detecting TMJ disorder difficult without a professional examination and assessment.
Find Out More About TMJ Disorder
If you experience chronic headaches in addition to issues with your jaw movement, then TMJ disorder may be the reason behind them. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call Woodland Hills Dental Arts in Woodland Hills, CA today at 818-347-5124.