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What are tension headaches? Do tension headaches and TMD share a common link?

What are tension headaches? Do tension headaches and TMD share a common link?

 

Understanding Tension Headaches: Tension headaches are characterized by dull, aching pain and pressure around the forehead, temples, and back of the head. They can be triggered by stress, poor
posture, clenching of the jaw, or grinding teeth, which leads to muscle tension in the head, neck, and
jaw.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD): Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) involves pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement. Symptoms may include jaw pain, clicking or popping sounds in the jaw, difficulty chewing, and even referred pain in the head and neck region.

The Dental Connection: Did you know that dental issues can contribute to tension headaches and TMD? Poor dental alignment, teeth grinding (bruxism), and jaw misalignment can exacerbate these conditions. As a result, seeking dental treatment can play a crucial role in managing and alleviating tension headaches and TMD symptoms.

Treating tension Headaches and TMD

At Cluny Court Family Dental, we offer personalized treatment plans to address tension headaches and TMD effectively. Our approach can include the various treatment modalities listed here.

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Comprehensive Dental Evaluation

We conduct a thorough examination of your teeth, jaws, and bite to identify any underlying dental issues contributing to tension headaches and TMD.

Customized Nightguards

For patients who grind their teeth at night, we design custom-fit nightguards to protect teeth from further damage and alleviate muscle tension in the jaw.

Orthodontic Solutions

Correcting dental misalignments through orthodontic treatment can help alleviate pressure on the jaw joint and reduce tension headaches and TMD symptoms.

Stress Management Techniques

We provide guidance on stress-reduction techniques and relaxation exercises to minimize the impact of stress on jaw muscles and alleviate tension headaches.

Physical Therapy Referrals

In some cases, we may collaborate with physical therapists to provide targeted exercises and therapies to improve jaw function and alleviate TMD symptoms.

Botox and medications

Botox can be an excellent treatment modality for reducing tension headaches by decreasing the tonality of masticatory muscles, contributing to immediate relief of the pain. In addition, medications that act as muscle relaxants can bring relief to acute pain episodes.

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Dr. Inna Piskorska

Dr. Inna is an American-trained dentist. Her philosophy to dental care is about building relationships with her patients. She likes to spend time with patients explaining dental treatment options, and ensures that her patients are comfortable during their visit.

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Biology, University of Washington, USA
  • Doctorate of Dental Surgery, University of Washington, USA
  • 2-Year comprehensive Residency Program, San Antonio, Texas, USA

Professional Activities

Dr Inna is experienced in advanced dental treatments such as – dental rehabilitations, implants, bone augmentations, sinus lifts, CAD/CAM technology and sedation dentistry.

Dr. Loke Weiqiang

Dr Loke Weiqiang graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Dentistry in 2006 with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery along with numerous academic awards (Dean's List, Best Clinical Student, Distinction in Prosthodontics, Distinction in Clinical Dentistry, University Medal, Loh Fun Chee Gold Medal, F.A.C. Oehler’s Gold Medal, Hashim Yaacob Research Award). In 2009, he was awarded the NUS Overseas Graduate Scholarship, where he pursued his advanced specialty training at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in Periodontics and Prosthodontics, as part of his 5-year dual-speciality Master of Science residency program. After completing his US Board Certifications in Prosthodontics and Periodontics in 2014, Dr Loke returned to his alma mater as an Assistant Professor at NUS. During his tenure, he received multiple educator and research awards (SEAADE-DENTSPLY Asia Research Award in Dental Education and Teaching Innovation, Exxon Mobil-NUS Research Fellowship Award). He was also a co-investigator in 2 National Medical Research Council (NMRC) research grants in Cardiosleep Medicine and the NUS BIGHEART grant. One of his research publications, entitled "Wirelessly operated bioelectronic sutures for the monitoring of deep surgical wounds”, was featured in NATURE Biomedical Engineering- a top-tier journal in Biomedicine. Dr Loke is a dual-trained Dental Specialist in Prosthodontics, with a keen interest in Oral Implantology and Dental Sleep Medicine. A passionate and firm believer of education at heart after spending more than 11 years as a full-time academic at NUS, he continues to teach part-time at NUS and at study clubs locally and overseas. Dr Loke is currently in full-time private practice, and remains as a Visiting Consultant at the National University Center for Oral Health, Singapore (NUCOHS). Outside of clinical practice, he serves as President of Prosthodontics Society Singapore, is a board member of Asian Board of Prosthodontics (Asian Academy of Prosthodontics) and a member of the NUS Medicine International Council. Apart from devoting his passion and time in caring for his patients, he enjoys travelling and exploring new cultures with his family (wife and 2 boys).

Education

  • Bachelor of Dental Surgery, National University of Singapore
  • Master of Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • Certificate in Prosthodontics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • Certificate in Periodontology and Oral Implantology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • Dental Specialist in Prosthodontics

Professional Activities

• American Board of Prosthodontics, Diplomate
• American Board of Periodontics, Diplomate
• American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, Member
• Prosthodontic Society Singapore, President
• Singapore Sleep Society, Member

Dr. Serena Yu

Dr. Serena combines her love of working with children with her expertise in paediatric dentistry. She believes in prevention of oral diseases through educating parents on oral hygiene and diet, and through establishing good daily dental routines for kids. Her goal for every child is to make their visit fun and relaxed. She feels most fulfilled when her patients have healthy, cavity free teeth, as she believes this will provide them a strong springboard to continue to care for their oral health into adulthood and old age. After all, eating is one of the greatest pleasures in life! She takes a holistic approach to dental care, as she appreciates the nuances in treatment options depending on a child’s overall health, development, behaviour, and social factors. In her free time, she loves to read, explore different cultures and cuisines, and to be out in nature – scuba diving, hiking, and exploring the world.

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Biology (Magna cum laude), Brown University, USA
  • Doctorate Degree in Dental Medicine, Tufts University, USA
  • Postdoctoral Specialty training in Paediatric Dentistry, NYU Langone Dental Medicine, USA

Professional Activities

Dr. Serena has received extensive training in paediatric sedation, behaviour management, general anaesthesia, paediatric medicine, and interceptive orthodontics. Dr. Serena also enjoyed working at the San Ysidro Health Centre in San Diego, where she focused on treating children with special needs.

Dr. Serena is a Board Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Paediatric Dentistry. She is also a member of the American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the Singapore Society for Paediatric Dentistry.

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