Tag Archive for: headaches

Bioesthetically Preserving A Healthy Bite

A patient recently came into my office with severely worn-down teeth & an overbite. This was caused by several years’ worth of clenching & grinding. I informed her that she essentially had two choices for restorations. Either she can have several veneers for the ‘visible-when-smiling’ teeth in the front, or full crown restorations for just about the entire mouth.

It raises an important question. How does an individual choose the right dentist to treat her? Choosing the right dentist isn’t only about choosing the dentist who gives you the best price or even the whitest teeth on Day 1. It’s the one who takes all things into consideration including the health of your jaw joint. The importance of preserving an already-healthy bite or taking steps to achieve the ideal bite is of vital importance. Bioesthetic methods are low-maintenance, greatly cost-effective, and save a lot of headaches (literally). Because the initial care in case design will lead to longer lasting restorations

For patients whose bite needs slight adjustment, I usually end my treatment by designing a MAGO — a maxillary anterior guided orthotic. A MAGO is quite different than a mouthguard which is usually a rubber based separator that keeps you from grinding your teeth but does nothing for your poor overexerted jaw muscles.  The MAGO, on the other hand, will simultaneously protect the teeth from clenching/grinding at night (when we have the least control over our bruxing habits) and develop a healthy jaw alignment over time if worn consistently.

Dr. Boyajian, Los Angeles

www.dentalwellnessarts.com

How Bioesthetic Dentistry Helps You

There are so many reports, complaints, misdiagnoses out there for/from people who do not have the slightest clue as to what is causing their headaches or jaw problems. Years of switching from doctor to doctor and medication to medication can really bog one down; it becomes his/her lifestyle, always taking medical tests and trying to find out what is going on with his/her body!

This should not be considered “normal”, especially when a solution to all of that jaw pain, neck pain, ear pain, damaged teeth, and uncomfortable, ineffective mouth movement can be easily achieved.

Bioesthetic dentistry is based on aligning the teeth to work in harmony with the Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) of the jaw to promote a naturally cooperative and functional chewing system. When your teeth are out of their places (which is often the case) — even slightly rearranged from growing up with a habit of grinding them, for example — minor adjustments are made in the mechanics of your chewing system, but major repercussions can ensue. Crookedness, wear and tear, unexplained pain and migraines, and discomfort are all symptoms of this problem.

However, bioesthetics is to the rescue. Treatment is usually easily carried out, realigning teeth and jaw joints to their proper positions, and allowing time for the muscles and tissues to strengthen and turn the correct movements into your habitual movements. Goodbye headaches, restricted/noisy jaw movement, and crooked, worn teeth; hello straight smile, comfortable chewing, and freedom!

Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles

www.dentalwellnessarts.com

TMJ Disorder & Treatment

Always be paying attention to signs and signals your body gives you. If you’re hungry, eat something nourishing. If you’re tired, get some rest. If you don’t feel well, try to cut out habits that might be detrimental to your health. Make time to take care of yourself.

This includes your dental health as well. If, for some reason, you are in good health but still experience headaches, neck aches, ear pain, jaw pain, jaw clicking/popping/crookedness, bruxing, stiffness or pain while chewing, or any other unexplained symptom in your jaw/neck area, talk to your dentist. You may have TMJ (short for temporomandibular joint…the joint in each side of your jaw) disorder. If your dentist cannot give you very much information, find a TMJ specialist and call him for an examination. TMJ can grow into a severely restricting, delicate problem and is best treated when in the early stages of development. You won’t have to keep swallowing painkillers if the source of the problem is fixed!

Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles

www.dentalwellnessarts.com

TMJ

TMJ disorder, or TMD (both acronyms for the temporo-mandibular joint….the joint in your jaw), is a common ailment that causes a wide range of symptoms from occasional ear pain or jaw clicking/popping, to major aches in the entire head, tooth wear from frequent bruxing (teeth-grinding), migraines, neck pain, and jaw crookedness or tiredness. I specialize in treating TMJ, so if you think TMJ has been a problem for you, contact me (or another TMJ specialist, if location is a problem). It’s important to find one who treats TMJ bioesthetically, aesthetically, and with the healthiest, most natural options available. Your TMJ disorder will grow worse over time if it’s not taken care of. Don’t wait any longer to prevent problems that are bound to happen!

Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles

www.dentalwellnessarts.com

Dental Treatment for TMJ

All that to say, if you have lately been wondering about unexplained neck pain, headaches, jaw pain, jaws locking up, painful chewing, grinding teeth, or crazy popping/clicking sounds, you probably have TMJ. It is very important to find a TMJ specialist (not all dentists are) and begin treatment, as TMJ will become much more difficult to deal with and will require more complicated surgeries if not handled correctly in the beginning.

Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles

www.dentalwellnessarts.com

Bioesthetic Dentistry and TMJ

If you read any of my previous posts concerning TMJ, I’m sure you’ve made some sort of connection between that and bioesthetic dentistry. There is, in fact, a grand relationship between the two!

TMJ stands for “temporo-mandibular joint,” (or, more plainly, your jaw joint). “TMJ” itself, or even “TMD” (temporo-mandibular disorder), both refer to problems with the jaw joint that affect your chewing system. It also involves your surrounding facial muscles, and even your whole head or neck. It is important, if you seem to be experiencing unexplained headaches, neck pain, jaw pain, clicking or popping sounds when chewing, crooked jaw movements, grinding or clenching teeth, or limited opening of your mouth, to see a dentist immediately, as TMJ in the long run will become much worse if it isn’t treated.

Bioesthetics comes in handy here. Bioesthetic dentistry restores the original, genetic bite that functions perfectly and is most comfortable and efficient. That lists everything that TMJ is not! Bioesthetics is absolutely perfect for treating TMJ, as it targets correcting the jaw muscles and alignment, where the root problem is. Not the chipped teeth (yet), or the mysterious grinding on one side of your mouth (yet), but the deep-down muscles that control every single movement your mouth makes. It’s wonderful! And everyone who undergoes treatment is enamored with the fact that they can stop taking pain medications, wearing mouthpieces at night, or crashing hard underneath an unexplained migraine.

Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles

www.dentalwellnessarts.com

We Treat TMJ – Call Us Today

Frequently, people are coming in to see me, wondering if they have a TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint) problem. Also known as TMD (Temporal Mandibular Dysfunction), TMJ symptoms will include, but are not limited to the following: facial pain, headaches, sore teeth, neck aches, shoulder pain, pain all around the neck, recession of the gums, earaches, ringing in the ears, popping or clicking jaw joints, crunching or grinding noises of jaw joints, soreness or scalloping of the tongue, ridges along the cheek, frequent root canals, broken and chipped teeth, short teeth, difficulty in smiling, more prominent facial wrinkles, loss of lip contour, etc.

This list is mind-boggling! One may have one or multiple symptoms, and not everyone suffers from the same ones. Symptoms commonly appear, seemingly without explanation and often under the wrong diagnoses, but people’s lives have been changed through simple TMJ treatment.

So how do we discover if you have TMJ or TMD? Well, we start with a thorough medical background check. How long have you had the symptoms? Do you have a history of trauma to the face, head, or neck? Have you tried any other forms of therapy or treatment? Your answers to these questions will greatly help me determine your problem and how to solve it.

Treatment of TMJ begins with a series of tests to diagnose the condition as accurately and thoroughly as possible. After that, patients are frequently given exercises to perform at home, a splint to aid in correcting the jaw’s alignment, or are requested to arrange meetings with a local physical therapist on a weekly or biweekly basis. Extreme cases may require surgery.

So if you think you are suffering from TMJ, request an examination. Ask your dentist about the things you can be doing to prevent TMJ. It is always better to speak up than to let the problem sit and grow worse!

Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles

www.dentalwellnessarts.com

A Day With A Master

The last two days for me have been a phenomenal learning time. For years I have been a professional student and I had an opportunity to add to my practical and theoretical database. That’s right, my brain. I have been involved with the diagnosis and treatment complex TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint dysfunction) for the last 20 years. This is also known as TMD.

Jess Bloomquist came to visit for two days. Jeff is the owner of Bioesthetics Laboratory, which is the premier dental lab in the world contributing to the oral repair for patients with TMD and TMJ problems, such as unexplained facial pain or headaches. He comes from the technician’s view, and I from the clinical view. We worked closely with my patients for two days to help find better solutions. It was a rare privilege.

http://bioesthetics.com/home.html

Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles

www.dentalwellnessarts.com