Migraine is not just a simple headache. It is a deep, throbbing, and sometimes crippling pain that can disrupt concentration, sleep, and quality of life. Many people who suffer from migraines, before starting orthodontics, they have this question: Is it possible to do orthodontics with migraines? Can straightening the teeth and correcting the jaw help reduce migraines? The fact is that there are connections between the position of the jaw, the way the teeth are positioned, and chronic headaches, including migraines.

In this article, we are going to examine precisely and without exaggeration what effect orthodontics has on migraines, when headaches may increase and under what conditions it even helps to improve them.

What is migraine?

Migraine is a type of nervous and chronic headache that is usually felt as a throbbing and severe pain on one side of the head, but in some people it can be bilateral. This pain is often not limited to the head and is accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound or even smell. Some people experience an aura before the onset of a headache, such as seeing flashing lights, blurred vision, or tingling in the hands and face.

Migraines are usually caused by over-sensitivity of the nervous system, and factors such as stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, certain foods, or even the wrong position of the jaw and teeth can trigger it. This is why in some people, jaw problems or misalignment of teeth can contribute to the exacerbation of migraines or the onset of headache attacks.

There is a connection between jaw abnormalities and migraines in some people; Not in the sense that every migraine starts from the jaw, but when the jaw and teeth are not in the right position, they can be one of the aggravating factors of migraine headaches.

When the upper and lower jaws do not fit together properly or the bite is unbalanced, abnormal pressure is placed on the jaw joint (TMJ) and the surrounding muscles. This constant pressure can cause pain in the temples, ears, neck and shoulders; Areas directly connected to neural pathways associated with migraines. In simple words, the body is constantly in a state of tension, and this tension can trigger migraine attacks.

In people who grind their teeth, hold the jaw unconsciously, or when chewing, one side of the jaw is more involved, this connection becomes stronger. Correcting jaw abnormalities in such conditions is not necessarily a definitive cure for migraine, but in many cases it can reduce the intensity, number or duration of headache attacks and improve the quality of life.

Useful article: Effect of teeth grinding on orthodontic treatment

In some people, yes. Orthodontics can help reduce migraines, but not for everyone and not as a direct migraine treatment.

If your migraines are related to jaw abnormalities, misalignment of the bite, pressure on the jaw joint or grinding teeth, orthodontics can play a positive role. When the teeth are in the right position and the upper and lower jaw are more aligned, excess pressure is removed from the jaw, temple and neck muscles. This reduction in tension, in some patients, reduces the intensity or frequency of migraine attacks.

Of course, it should be realistic. Migraine is a neurological disease and has various causes such as hormonal, genetic, stress or nutritional factors. Therefore, if the main cause of your migraine is not related to the jaw and teeth, orthodontics will not have a noticeable effect on it.

The important point is that before starting orthodontics, a detailed examination of the bite, jaw joint, and history of headaches by the orthodontist and, if necessary, cooperation with a neurologist. In this case, orthodontics can be part of a combined and conscious treatment for better migraine control, not a miracle solution.

orthodontics for people with

People with migraines may face some special challenges when starting orthodontic treatment. Knowing these things helps to make the treatment more informed and with less risk.

In the initial weeks of orthodontics or after each bracket adjustment session, the pressure on the teeth and jaw increases. This pressure can stimulate the muscles around the jaw and temple and cause migraine attacks to intensify in some patients. This condition is usually temporary, but it will be more annoying than normal for migraine sufferers.

2. Jaw joint tenderness (TMJ)

Many people with migraine have some degree of temporomandibular joint disorder at the same time. If orthodontics is performed regardless of the condition of this joint, changing the position of the jaw can aggravate jaw pain, ear pain, temple pain, and ultimately migraine headaches.

3. More reaction to orthodontic pressure

Migraine sufferers usually have a lower pain tolerance threshold. Pressures that are tolerable for a normal patient may cause severe discomfort, insomnia, or the onset of a headache attack in a migraine patient. For this reason, the intensity and speed of treatment must be adjusted carefully.

Migraines are strongly influenced by stress. Frequent treatment sessions, worry about pain, length of treatment or even temporary changes in appearance can indirectly increase the frequency of migraine attacks.

Useful article: Effect of stress on orthodontics

treatment

If the bite is not corrected in a stepwise and principled manner, unbalanced pressure will be created on the jaw. This imbalance can cause pressure headaches, neck pain, and migraine exacerbations, especially in patients with a long history of migraines.

Migraine patients usually need more precise adjustments, more control sessions and constant communication with the orthodontist. Ignoring warning signs such as increased headache or jaw pain can make the treatment process more difficult.

Concluding remarks

Orthodontics in people with migraine is not a simple and same issue for everyone. Although in some patients, correcting jaw and dental abnormalities can help reduce muscle tension and improve headache, but at the same time, if the treatment is done without careful examination, it may aggravate migraine symptoms. Orthodontics and migraines are neither enemies nor necessarily cures. The result completely depends on the correct diagnosis, principled planning and close cooperation between the patient and the orthodontist.

If you are a migraine sufferer, be sure to discuss your headache history, severity and triggers with your doctor before starting orthodontics. Choosing a gentler treatment method, accurate adjustment of pressures and regular follow-up can make orthodontics a part of your quality of life improvement instead of an aggravating factor.