Health & MedicineCosmetic DentistryMiddlebury Dentist Helps With Headache PainBy Joy K. Lunan DDS Share: Joy Lunan DDS News Keep Waking Up With Headaches? If the first thing you feel in the morning is a headache or pain behind your eyes or pain in your neck and shoulders, please come in for a visit. What you’re experiencing could be the result of problems in your mouth. These are common symptoms of a condition known as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), which basically means that your jaws don’t align properly. This misalignment stresses the jaw joints, putting pressure on nerves and muscles – which can result in morning headaches, migraines or facial and neck pain. Not everyone with TMJ disorder shows symptoms. And not everyone has headaches or pain; TMJ disorder can also lead to broken teeth or fillings, loose teeth and toothaches. What is certain is that if you do display any of these symptoms, they won’t get better without professional help. Many people find that resting the jaw helps ease the pain. You can do this by eating soft foods, avoiding chewing gum and hard candies. We can also show you jaw exercises to stretch the jaw joints and relieve stress. For most people, the most effective treatment is a custom dental splint that fits over your upper and lower teeth. This reduces the damage done from repeated clenching of the jaw or teeth grinding. If these conservative methods don’t work, you still have other options. The temporomandibular joints can be flushed out, or an injection of cortisone can help relieve inflammation and pain. Worse-case scenario, you might need surgery. Come in for a visit and we’ll help you find the right solution. We are here to answer you questions and address your concerns. Please call anytime. (203) 598-7920 About the BusinessBUSINESSCosmetic DentistryJoy K. Lunan DDS819 Straits Tpke, Middlebury, CT 06762CALL US+1 (203) 598-7920CALL US+1 (203) 598-7920VIEW BUSINESS PROFILEHave a question? Ask the experts!Send your question