Occlusion is the study and science of the way we bite, and the way our teeth, muscles and joints interact with each other.
Tooth clenching and grinding is a very common cause of headaches, jaw pain and neckaches. This is because the muscles that move the jaw become painful if they are overused – just like any other part of the body. Migraine type headaches are closely related to the muscle pain that develops during clenching and grinding activity so NTI-TSS mouthguards have proven very effective as a treatment for migraine headaches (in fact the NTI-TSS mouthguard is approved by the FDA as the only non-drug based treatment for migraine in the USA).
At times the way we bite can cause problems leading to broken teeth and fillings. In certain instances we can also get headaches and migraines related to the way we bite.
Under these circumstances we may need to prescribe a splint such as the NTI occlusal splint from America, or on occasions, we may have to use a full coverage splint, which covers the biting surfaces of all your teeth.
NTI-TSS splint in situ.
These splints then relieve stress on your teeth, muscles and jaw, and help reduce further headaches and tooth wear.
See http://www.headacheprevention.com/ for more information.
