At MaconSmiles, our family dentist and staff provide comprehensive dental care to patients throughout North Macon and the surrounding communities. It is our mission to get to the root of a dental issue and alleviate any pain you may be experiencing. Many patients may not even realize that migraine pain and headaches can actually be associated with their dental health and teeth. In North Macon, we can treat migraines with NTI therapy and reduce your symptoms.
Migraines Explained
Migraines can cause severe and debilitating pain and can lead to the canceling of social events, loss of work, and day-to-day misery. Fortunately, there are effective treatments for migraines if we can understand the source and cause of pain.
Migraines can be caused by the trigeminal nerve which has three branches. The nerve extends to the eye, cheek, and jaw area of the face and head. When a patient is experiencing a migraine, the trigeminal nerve becomes hyper-functional which sends rapid signals and sensitizes the nerve endings. These sensitized nerves cause blood vessels to dilate which causes pressure and a throbbing sensation. The sensitization of the nerve endings results in pain, lightheadedness, sensitivity to light, and other symptoms you may experience when suffering from a migraine.
How NTI Therapy Can Alleviate Migraines
In order to effectively treat migraines and prevent severe pain, we need to understand what is making the nerve hyper-functional. Typically, the issue is in the jaw joints and is linked to TMJ. When these jaw muscles are excessively contracted, the nerve becomes overstimulated. The most common cause of excessive contraction of the jaw is bruxism or teeth grinding. Bruxism normally occurs at night when patients are sleeping but results in painful, debilitating migraines during the day.
Nociceptive trigeminal inhibition (NTI) is a dental device that prevents patients from excessively biting down on their teeth and contracting their jaw. The device is worn when the patient sleeps to prevent nighttime bruxism. NTI therapy prevents the nerves from being overstimulated meaning it will stop the migraine before it even begins.
Contact MaconSmiles for NTI Therapy for Migraines Today!
If you suffer from severe migraines and over-the-counter medication never seems to work, contact MaconSmiles to evaluate your teeth and jaw for bruxism. Our family dentist will determine if you are a good candidate for NTI therapy in North Macon. We look forward to seeing you soon and alleviating your migraines!