subject: Help Eliminate Headaches In Children With Proper Dental Care [print this page] If your child has ever complained about a headache, it may have to do with their oral health. Many children today suffer from headaches, which are frequently caused by the structural imbalance between the upper and lower jaws. The three main types of structural imbalances include, a narrow upper arch, a deficient lower jaw and patients who have a vertical problem, which is evidenced by a deep overbite. A high percentage of children who suffer from these structural imbalances will experience some of the following:
*Tired jaws
*Sore teeth
*Headaches
*Worn teeth
*Neck ache
*Clicking jaw joints
*Ear ache
*Ringing in the ears
*Facial deformity
*Dizziness
Headaches and a Tired Jaw
If the jaws become tired after chewing gum or eating chewy foods, this is one of the earliest signs that something is wrong with the functioning of the chewing system. Since the human jaw is so well designed, it is impossible for the jaws to become tired unless they are not properly aligned. The most common problem is a lower jaw that is deficient or well behind the upper jaw. Patients who experience this problem appear to have protruding upper teeth, but in the majority of these cases the lower jaw is positioned behind the upper jaw. If your child does experience any tiredness of the lower jaw, Dr. Rondeau, who is trained in the area of TM Dysfunction, which is a jaw joint problem, should examine him or her.
Jaw joint (TMJ) problems are also beginning to develop when a child experiences headaches. Pain from headaches is not normal, especially in young children, which makes diagnosis and treatment necessary. Normal children are healthy, pain-free and have relatively low stress levels. When headaches occur, this means their system is overloaded. Headaches that occur once or twice a month can easily be an early warning sign that should be taken seriously by a trip to your dentist.
Appliance Therapy
Functional appliances are used in growing children to help solve the problem of narrow upper and lower jaws, which could cause crowding of permanent teeth. In the majority of cases where the upper and lower jaws are developed to normal shape and size with functional appliances, it is not necessary to extract any permanent teeth.
The ideal age for the use of functional appliances is between ages seven and eleven. This age range is appropriate for functional appliances because it is when the cooperation level is the highest. However, functional appliances can be utilized as early as age four if the upper jaw is too narrow and is having a negative effect on the child's breathing and speech. Functional appliances can also be used in adults to develop the arch to a more normal shape and size before applying braces.
Contact Dr. Rondeau for more information on functional appliances and how early treatment can help eliminate headaches and jaw pain in your child.
by: Gen Wright
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