It is never pleasant to experience headaches or TMJ symptoms as your quality of life is affected. Fortunately, there is help available for people suffering from headaches and symptoms of TMJ so they can get the relief they need to live pain-free, normal lives.

TMJ Symptoms & Treatment Options

TMJ is an abbreviation for the temporomandibular joint and is a disorder that affects the jaw joint. When the jaw joint becomes painful during the opening and closing of the mouth, it can cause:

• Damage to the joint tissue


• Swelling of the tissue surrounding the jaw


• Earaches


• Popping sounds coming from the joint


• Headaches

Patients experiencing these symptoms can get the TMJ relief they need by taking over-the-counter pain relievers or by applying cold compresses to the affected area of the jaw. At Macon Smiles, we offer several treatment options which can provide TMJ relief including:

• The use of special mouthguards that prevent grinding of the teeth


• The use of orthodontic appliances designed to reposition the jaw joint


• Other more invasive treatments designed for alleviating TMJ symptoms

Headache Therapy

Our practice is proud to be one of the few local dental offices that offers NTI tension suppression system therapy for treating frequent headaches or migraines. The NTI system is a special mouthguard that reduces bruxism or clenching of the teeth. The NTI system works with the natural opening reflex everyone has at the front of the mouth by preventing the back teeth from clenching together. The mouthguard works by relaxing the facial, neck and head muscles. When these muscles are not tensed, often times the migraine pain is relieved which can result in the patient being able to cut down on how much prescription pain medication he or she takes.

If you're suffering from headaches or other TMJ symptoms, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with our Macon dentist, Dr. Sheila Shah. Dr. Shah routinely provides headache therapy and TMJ relief to patients living in Macon and the surrounding areas and she can help you as well. To schedule your appointment, please call us today at (478) 757-8715.