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Dr. David A. Smith

David A Smith

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317-597-8748
12188-A North Meridian Street, Suite 355,
Carmel, IN 46032
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symptoms of TMD

How Headaches and Dental Stress Are Related

By Really Smile on May 23, 2022

It’s a pretty well-known fact that headaches are one of the most common pain-causing issues for residents of Carmel, IN, and beyond.

But did you know that a dentist may be the best person to address your headaches? Specifically, Dr. Smith has a life-changing vision for dentistry that includes addressing headaches.

If your bite isn’t perfect, it can cause dental stress, which leads to pain. That’s why dentists have been researching and perfecting headache-reducing solutions for years and they’re now available for anyone who needs them.

What Causes Headaches?

According to the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain (AACP), “one in eight Americans suffer from recurring headaches that are so severe they cannot carry out normal living.” Furthermore, the AACP points out that “an estimated 80% of all headaches occur from muscle tension.”

Specifically, the cause for headaches deals with muscle tension in the mouth. If your teeth don’t come together in a normal way via your bite, it can cause the muscles in your mouth to compensate. This extra tension can lead to headaches on the sides of your head (or it can feel like the headaches are “wrapping around it”). At the end of the day, headaches aren’t the only negative effect of dental stress.

Dental Stress Side Effects

An improper or misaligned bite does more than just cause headaches. It can lead to other problems like tiredness, pain, muscle imbalance and even possibly lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. Here are some other specific negative effects of dental stress, according to the AACP:

  • Clicking or popping jaw joints
  • Head and/or scalp painful to the touch
  • Pain behind the eyes
  • Teeth grinding
  • Sore jaw muscles or “tired” muscles upon awakening

Fortunately, there are a variety of solutions for fixing headaches caused by dental stress.

Dental Solutions for Headaches

Visiting Really Smile is the first step for people in Carmel, IN, who think their headaches may be caused by dental stress. Dr. Smith will evaluate your bite, the muscles in your mouth and jaw joints for any signs of muscle tension or dental stress. If needed, he will advise you on dental treatment needed to correct your bite so you don’t have any tension. The ultimate goal? To improve your quality of life!

Dr. Smith may also advise other stress-relieving techniques like physical therapy, counseling or relaxation training to ensure you eliminate tension and headaches. If you’d like to learn more about solutions for headaches and dental stress in Carmel, IN, contact us to schedule a consultation today.

Could You Have TMD (TMJ)? The Symptoms

By on June 25, 2015

Frequent headaches can put a real damper on your lifestyle. You might be getting ready for a fun evening out (Carmel, IN has no shortage of great things to see and do after all), then BAM: you’ve got a severe headache and your plans will have to change, or you’ll simply resign yourself to missing out.

Headaches and other frequent pain have a virtually limitless list of potential causes. One very common cause behind these problems is a disorder known as TMD, or temporomandibular disorder. Your Really Smile dentist can help you determine if you’re suffering from TMD and provide you with a variety of treatments and therapies to help control the symptoms of TMD.

What is TMD?

You may have also heard this disorder referred to as TMJ. Technically, TMJ is the abbreviation for the temporomandibular joint, which is the focus of TMD symptoms. TMD can cause a lot of pain and difficulty for those who suffer from it (we’ll get into the specific symptoms shortly). TMD is a very common but painful condition that can drastically reduce your quality of life. About 3 million cases of TMD are diagnosed every year in the US alone.

Okay, So What is the TMJ?

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which is found on both sides of your head, is what connects your jaw to the bones in front of each ear (these bones are called the temporal bones, which play a role in protecting your brain as well as providing structural support for your face, specifically your temples). The TMJ is a ball-and-socket joint, and is responsible for facilitating up-and-down and side-to-side movements of the jaw. This makes the TMJ anatomically very significant when you chew, talk, yawn, or laugh; basically, any time you might need to “open wide”.

What Causes TMD?

The exact physiological reasons as to why you might develop TMD is still unknown. However, strong correlations to certain factors, such as injury, disease, and even lifestyle have been established.

Serious injuries that might cause TMD to develop include:

  • Whiplash (due to an auto accident, for example)
  • A Slipped Disc (between the ball and socket that make up the TMJ is a disc made of cartilage. Cartilage is similar to bone but is not as hard and rigid; cartilage is more soft and helps to absorb shocks and to prevent the parts of the joint from scraping together. You have similar discs in your back, and just as you might have known a person who has suffered from a slipped disc in their back, the disc in the TMJ can also slip)

Diseases that might cause TMD to develop include:

Arthritis (chronic inflammation in the joints)

Gum Disease (gum disease, or periodontal disease, is very common and very serious: an estimated 22 million people have it, and it is the number one cause of tooth loss; gum disease weakens the tissues and bones in your oral cavity, which might lead to TMD symptoms)

Bruxism (More commonly known as teeth-grinding; however, TMD might even cause you to have bruxism as a complication and not necessarily the cause).

In terms of your lifestyle, excessive or ineffectively managing stress can also be a big contributor to TMD symptoms (and a number of other problems, including bruxism).

What Are The Symptoms I Can Look Out For?

Getting a proper diagnosis of TMD is somewhat challenging, because the symptoms of the disorder are very similar to a number of other ailments that could even be more serious than TMD, such as Lyme disease.

However, there are symptoms that you can watch for, and if you observe them, you should come in immediately for an evaluation (even if only to eliminate TMD as a possibility).

Be on the lookout for the following symptoms:

  • Frequent pain, including headaches (that seem to “radiate” from the temples), toothaches, neck pain, or pain in the upper shoulders, and/or the face and jaws; pain will also seem to be located around or even in the ear (and may feel like an ear infection)
  • Fatigue in the face and/or jaw
  • Difficulty “opening wide”, or pain when it is attempted. Alternatively, your jaw has a tendency to “lock up”, either when the mouth is open or closed.
  • A sense that your bite is somehow “off” (caused potentially by a failure of the jaws to align properly)
  • Swelling on the sides of the face
  • An audible clicking or popping sound when the jaws are moved
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • Tingling in the fingers and extremities
  • Teeth are showing considerable signs of wear; teeth may appear to be “shorter” as a result (TMD can go undetected for years; over time, the protective layer of enamel can be worn off to the point that the softer part of your tooth is exposed; it takes years to wear down enamel, but once that is gone, the inside of the tooth will wear down much faster)

What Can My Dentist Do?

Your Really Smile dentist can provide you with a TMD diagnosis, and based on your specific needs, create a program of treatment to help manage, and ideally, eliminate the recurring symptoms of TMD. The diagnosis may require the use of our advanced imaging technology, as well as an in-depth look at your overall health history, in addition to evaluating the symptoms as they are presented.

Think Your Frequent Pain is Caused by TMD?

Give us a call and schedule an appointment! TMD pain can be eliminated, but it needs to be diagnosed correctly first;  if you’re seeing what appear to be familiar symptoms in this post, you should seek help from your dentist as soon as possible. The faster you fix the problem, the faster you can start enjoying life more!

Call us today at 317-597-8748 or click here for our online appointment form to book your visit now.

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Business Hours

Monday 7:40 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
(Friday – Sunday – Closed)

On the blog

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6 Warning Signs of TMJ Issues in Carmel, IN

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Sleep Apnea: Drawbacks and Solutions

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Services

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Meet the Doctor

Dr. David A. Smith explains his vision of life-changing dentistry for Really Smile Dental:

“I chose dentistry as my life’s work because I have the privilege to serve people in a way that is truly life-changing. I was honored with the appointment by Indianapolis Woman Magazine as Makeover Dentist 2008."

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Business Hours

Monday: 7:40 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
(Friday – Sunday: Closed)

Contact us

Really Smile Dental
Phone: 317-597-8748
Fax: 317-815-1636
URL: reallysmile.com
12188-A North Meridian Street, Suite 355
Carmel, IN 46032

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