Lately, you’ve been suffering from chronic headaches. You’ve tried to figure out if it is due to stress, tension or just eye strain. The nagging headache is coupled with pain in the jaw area and an uncomfortable bite that disturbs you every now and then. A visit to your Ketchum dentist confirms that your headaches are caused by malocclusion or poor bite.
Malocclusion occurs when your upper and lower jaw are not properly aligned. This condition is caused by oral habits, generic factors and even by missing teeth.
- Oral habits like teeth grinding, jaw clenching, thumb sucking and nail biting can cause your teeth to misaligned. In addition to this, babies who have been given pacifiers for a long period of time are at risk of developing malocclusion.
- Some people may inherit mismatched traits such as jaw and tooth size that results in overcrowded teeth.
- Tooth loss due to tooth decay and trauma can cause misaligned teeth as well.
- Improperly placed dental work such as fillings or crowns.
Individuals who suffer from malocclusion experience symptoms such as headaches, pain in the jaw area and facial muscles, problems with biting, difficulty chewing food and slurred speech.
Ketchum dentist, Dr. Calvert can check malocclusion in both children and adults. He will ask you about your medical and oral history. He will carefully check your mouth and teeth by taking x-rays and photographs in order to give you a proper diagnosis of your symptoms.
Treatment for Children and adolescents
Malocclusion can be treated by means of extraction (tooth removal), growth modification and fixed appliances. Removal of baby tooth can lessen the crowding of your child’s teeth. Growth modification using fixed dental appliances can move your child’s teeth to prevent malocclusion as well.
Treatment for Adults
Treatment for adults can be as simple as the use of orthodontic procedures like traditional braces and invisible aligners such as Invisalign. Other issues that must be diagnosed and evaluated for include; TMJ dysfunction, bite imbalance, and severely worn teeth due to bruxism, (nighttime teeth grinding). Did you know that very often, people that suffer from headaches, especially waking up with one, have a sleep related breathing disorder and usually don’t know it. Symptoms of sleepiness during the day, fatigue, lacking concentration and headaches can be signs of needing a better night of full sleep. Dr. Calvert’s expertise in Sleep Health can help you achieve a better night’s sleep, a more alive daytime feeling, as well as rid you of those headaches.
Dr. John Calvert’s advanced training in this area allows him to provide highly effective treatments for malocclusion and help you to finally be rid of chronic or even migraine like headaches. Call (208)726-3457 to schedule an appointment today.
