Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

Headaches? It Could Be Your Jaw

Thursday, October 08, 2015

Do you suffer from frequent headaches? Headache is a common symptom for patients who are experiencing temporomandibular joint dysfunction, commonly called TMJ.

The jaw joint (TMJ) is one of the most complicated joints in the human body. Not only does it allow the jaw to move forward and backward, but up and down and side to side. This complicated joint is susceptible to damage from accidents, teeth grinding, poor bite and damaging personal habits.

Auto accidents or slip and fall accidents can damage the jaw joint. Many times, this damage will heal with proper care and leave no long term problems.

Patients with an incorrect bite due to old dental work or teeth misalignment can find relief from TMJ pain by correcting these conditions.

Patients who grind their teeth, a condition called bruxism, place a great deal of pressure on the jaw joint. The constant grinding can also crack or break teeth leading to expensive dental restoration. A specially designed orthotic can be used to protect teeth and keep the jaw joint in a position that minimizes stress on the muscles and joint.

Find out how to relieve your headache pain by contacting Dr. Kenneth A. Mogell in Boca Raton, FL today at 561-394-9000.

Labels: headache, TMJ

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What Causes TMJ Pain?

Wednesday, September 02, 2015

TMJ pain is terrible - headaches, facial pain, jaw soreness, some even experience neck and back pain. Getting a proper diagnosis and treatment for TMJ problems can be problematic.

Many patients travel from doctor to doctor for years before discovering that their "migraine" isn't in there head, but rather in their jaw joint.

What causes TMJ pain? There are a lot of answers for this question. Some patients have experienced an accident or fall that caused temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Other patients grind their teeth and caused the joint to become damaged. Arthritis, old dental restorations and a poor bite are a few more reasons that the muscles and jaw joint starts causing discomfort.

Treatment for TMJ dysfunction can vary depending upon the cause of the problem. Old dental restorations that have become loose may need to be replaced. A poor bite may be corrected through dental restorations or orthodontics.

Most cases of TMJ dysfunction can be managed using a combination of a dental device that is designed to place the jaw in the optimal position for relaxation and appropriate home care such as avoiding certain foods or avoiding certain physical actions that might cause muscle spasms or pain.

Find out more about TMJ treatment in Boca Raton and Delray Beach by contacting neuromuscular dentist Dr. Kenneth A. Mogell at 561-394.9000.

Labels: headache, teeth grinding, TMJ

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Do's and Don'ts for TMJ Pain

Wednesday, August 06, 2014

TMJ pain can be excruciating - anyone who suffers from a temporomandibular joint dysfunction will agree. Symptoms include jaw pain, neck pain, headaches and even changes in hearing. There are some simple steps that patients with TMJ pain can take to reduce their inflammation, headaches and discomfort. That being said, there are steps that some people take that make the problem worse!

TMJ Pain Do's and Don'ts

DO alternate hot and cold packs on the jaw area when symptoms begin to flair up.

DON'T chew gum. Ever. The act of chewing gum puts stress on the jaw joint.

DO take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain. Remember that these medications are tough on the stomach so take them with food.

Speaking of food, DON'T eat anything firmer than cooked pasta when your jaw is inflamed. Even the stuff that is good for you, salad greens and raw veggies, are tough to chew. Stick with a soft diet for a few days to help the jaw joint heal. Even when you aren't experiencing symptoms try to avoid hard and chewy foods like bagels and chewy candy.

DO try to stifle your yawns - opening the jaw wide is not a good idea.

DON'T try to stretch your mouth open to make your jaw "feel better". See the DO above.

TMJ problems are caused by a multitude of reasons. Contact our office at 561-394-9000 to schedule your TMJ consultation today. Together we can discover the reason for your pain and work to alleviate the problem once and for all.

Labels: TMJ

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Holiday Stress and TMJ Pain

Friday, December 27, 2013

Feeling a little stressed out over the holidays? Don't feel bad, the holiday season includes travel, visits with relatives and way too many late nights.

All of these things can make us happy but can also increase the stress levels. For lots of people a higher stress level can translate into headaches and jaw pain.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ or jaw joint) is the most complex joint in the body and it is surrounded by incredibly strong muscles and, as a bonus, a very large facial nerve runs very close to it.

This is a perfect combination for creating painful TMJ problems if you clench or grind your teeth. Some people clench or grind (called bruxism) due to stress but most of us don't even realize we are doing it. Most bruxism occurs at night when we are sleeping so unless your bed partner hears the gnawing or your dentist sees your teeth breaking down - you'll never know until you develop symptoms.

Migraine headache, neck pain, facial pain, jaw clicking, even pain in the shoulders and back can be connected to TMJ problems.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms please contact Boca Raton TMJ dentist Dr. Ken Mogell at 561-394-9000 to schedule a consultation.

Until your appointment here are a few tips:

Don't chew gum or eat anything chewey (bagels, etc)
For two weeks don't eat anything harder than cooked pasts
Avoid raw vegetables, including salad greens
Watch your posture, don't rest your chin on your hands or hold a phone between shoulder and ear
Practice "lips together, teeth apart" to rest the jaw muscles

Labels: headache, TMJ

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Morning Headaches - Could Sleep Apnea Be The Cause?

Thursday, November 07, 2013

In my last post I talked about morning headaches and teeth grinding. Another common cause, that is usually not diagnosed, is obstructive sleep apnea. There is some research that is beginning to suggest that the two might actually be linked in some cases.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep breathing disorder. During sleep, the soft tissues of the mouth and throat relax and fall back, blocking the airway. The sleeper actually stops breathing. This occurs many, many times throughout the night with the sleeper briefly waking to begin breathing again. Search YouTube for videos of patients with sleep apnea, it is frightening to watch.

Left untreated, sleep apnea has been linked to heart attack, stroke, diabetes, depression and weight gain.

The signs of sleep apnea include snoring, gasping during sleep, weight gain, a large neck size and extreme daytime sleepiness. Patients may wake with headaches or sore throats.

Sleep apnea can only be diagnosed by a physician but it can be treated by a dentist who is trained in dental sleep medicine.

I'm proud to say that I am only one of three dentists in Florida who are board certified by the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. I work closely with area sleep physicians to ensure that their patients who are unable to use CPAP machines are effectively treated with oral appliance therapy.

Sleeping with an oral appliance is a simple and comfortable way to treat obstructive sleep apnea.

Find out more about obstructive sleep apnea and oral appliances by contacting our office at 561-394-9000 today.

Labels: obstructive sleep apnea, teeth grinding, TMJ

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Morning Headaches - We Can Help

Do you feel like you wake up every single morning with a headache? You aren't alone.

Two of the most common reasons for these morning headaches are teeth clenching during sleep and obstructive sleep apnea. Fortunately, we treat both disorders at our Boca Raton office. I'll talk about teeth clenching in this post and sleep apnea in the next.

Grinding or clenching your teeth is called bruxism. Many people grind their teeth and don't even realize it. A few grind throughout the day but the vast majority of teeth grinding occurs while we are asleep. Unless a bed partner complains about the grinding noises next to them all night, or teeth begin to crack and break, a night grinder will be unaware.

Bruxism not only damages teeth (I have seen cases where teeth have been worn down to almost nothing), but it also leads to painful TMJ symptoms, including headaches. The TMJ, temporomandibular joint, is your jaw joint and is one of the most complicated joints in the human body. Add to this the unbelievable strength of the jaw muscles and it is easy to see how the joint can become inflamed or damaged.

Night time grinding can't really be "cured" but we can stop further damage and put an end to the headache and muscle pain. By completing a full TMJ workup we can find the optimal "happy place" for your jaw and create an orthotic device that is worn during sleep. This orthotic will keep your jaw in the optimal position and prevent damage to the teeth.

Grinding may be caused by stress but in some cases it appears to be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea! More about that in my next post.

Please contact 561-394-9000 today to schedule your TMJ consultation. You don't need to live with constant headache pain. The diagnosis and treatment of TMJ dysfunction has been an integral part of my practice for over 20 years.

Labels: obstructive sleep apnea, TMJ

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TMJ Pain Symptoms and Home Care Tips

Friday, July 26, 2013

Are you experiencing jaw pain, headaches or facial pain? Maybe your ears feel a little funny or you have neck and shoulder pain that you have never felt before. These can all be symptoms of TMJ pain.

TMJ is shorthand for temporomandibular joint dysfunction. There are many causes for temporomandibular joint dysfunction and treatment for the disorder will vary for each individual. Until you can visit your neuromuscular dentist for diagnosis and treatment here are some ideas to help relieve your discomfort at home.

Do NOT chew gum.
Apply cold packs. Apply an ice pack to the side of your face for 10 minutes (wrap in a towel to protect your skin). Reapply after 20-30 minutes.
Eat a soft diet. Stick to soft foods such as yogurt, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs and soup. The idea is to rest your jaw muscles as much as possible. Don't eat hard, crunchy foods like raw carrots, pretzels or really chewy foods.
Avoid opening your mouth wide. Try to keep your mouth movements small when you yawn. You will be more comfortable if you avoid extreme jaw movement.
Hold the Phone. This means hold it with your hand, do not rest it between your ear and shoulder.
Don't Rest Your Chin - Do you rest your chin on your hand? Time to stop. Also, check your pillow position at night - find a comfortable position that doesn't place pressure on your face or jaw.
Lips Together, Teeth Apart - Practice keeping your teeth slightly apart to help avoid unconscious clenching or grinding of your teeth during the day.
Try Over The Counter Medications. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofin (Advil, Motrin, etc.) can be purchased at almost any store. Follow the dosing directions carefully and remember to always have food in your stomach before you take these medications (see #3 above) because they can injure your stomach lining.

These tips may help alleviate some of the pain, headaches and other symptoms you are experiencing until your appointment.

These tips are not a treatment for temporomandibular joint dysfunction and will not replace a visit to your neuromuscular dentist. Proper diagnosis and treatment of your individual case is necessary to avoid further damage to the jaw joint.

Please contact Dr. Kenneth Mogell today at 561-394-9000 to schedule a consultation.

Labels: TMJ

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TMJ and Sleep Apnea

Monday, June 24, 2013

Sleep apnea has many serious health consequences and now we can add the pain of TMJ disorder to the list.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry looked at data for over 2500 people between the ages of 18 and 44. The study participants were examined for TMJ issues and also were evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea.

The finding of this study support the link between sleep apnea and TMJ problems.They found that patients who did not have TMJ symptoms before developing sleep apnea were much more likely to develop TMJ symptoms. "Men and women with two or more signs/symptoms of OSA had a 73% greater incidence of first-onset TMD, in relative terms, than those with fewer signs/symptoms," explained the study authors. They also concluded that chronic TMJ problems were three times as common among adults with a likelihood of having sleep apnea.

A very important part of searching for a dentist that can treat your sleep apnea using an oral appliance is making sure that the dentist has also had extensive training and experience in treating TMJ disorders.

Find out more by contacting Dr. Kenneth A. Mogell at 561-394-9000 today.

Labels: obstructive sleep apnea, TMJ

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Stressing Your Smile

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Stress does lots of nasty things to our bodies including our smiles. Excess stress can cause mouth sores, teeth grinding and gum disease. Since it is hard to completely remove stress from your life let's look at what we can do to protect your smile when you are stressed out.

Mouth sores such as canker sores or cold sores can be triggered by emotional upset or stress. These sores usually heal on their own in a week or two. Avoid spicy foods and highly acid foods such as citrus fruits to protect against irritation.

Teeth grinding is common and is called bruxism. Bruxism usually occurs at night and the person grinding their teeth doesn't even know they are doing it. Some people may clench or grind during the day as well. Grinding your teeth can lead to broken teeth, destroyed dental work, worn down teeth and problems with the jaw joint. Jaw joint problems (TMJ) can be very painful - symptoms include headache, facial pain, neck pain, ear aches and tinnitus. Your neuromuscular dentist can create an appliance that will protect your teeth while you sleep and keep your jaw and facial muscles comfortable.

Stress can cause an increase in dental plaque which can lead to gum disease. Add to this the fact that people who are very stressed may affect normal habits including oral hygiene care. Try to remember to brush and floss every day and keep eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. Comfort food may sound good when we are stressed but proper nutrition will help you more in the long run.

To schedule your next appointment please contact Dr. Kenneth A. Mogell at 561-394-9000 today.

Labels: canker sores, gum disease, teeth grinding, TMJ

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