What do headaches, migraines and dentistry have in common?  A lot!  If you find that you grind your teeth and clench your jaw, these practices can be triggers linked to tension type headaches, particularly migraines.  Equally, if your jaw is in the wrong position the jaw muscles have to work harder to chew. This can lead to muscle spasms and worst.  At Dr. Merrick's Dental Studio caring for your smile is our job, however our practice policy includes making your life, not just your dental experience as pain-free as possible.    

Jaw movements, posture, chewing function, pain management, swallowing, airway management and head movements are all related through muscles of the head and neck. Because of the dynamic relationship between the muscles, joints and dental occlusion, any imbalance would cause a patient discomfort. The treatment goal at Dr. Merrick's Dental Studio is to gently and naturally bring the head, neck, jaw, and occlusion back into proper bslsnce and harmony to allow normal function that, in turn this will reduce daily pain and discomfort.

Some people with headaches and migraine wear occlusal splints to reduce teeth grinding and jaw tension in the hope of reducing these attacks. A dental or occlusal splint is a small plastic dental device that fits over either your upper or lower teeth. Dental splints are made of soft plastic and is usually worn at night. The splint prevents common night time habits such as grinding your teeth and clenching the jaw.

So if you are suffering from the following symptoms: teeth grinding at night, a stiff and tight neck, pain behind the ears, sinus pain, and neck and shoulder pain give Dr. Merrick's Dental Studio a call at (212) 281-1283 for a pain management evaluation.