Dr. James S. Kim, DDS. SC

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Dr. James S. Kim, DDS. SC > Services > Appliance Therapy for Grinding, Clenching, and Headaches

A custom moughguard by Dr. James Kim could be the solution to put an end to your headaches and chronic teeth grinding.

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Mouthguards in Wausau, WI

Headache disorders are a common condition affecting nearly 1-in-2 adults. They can range from mildly annoying to completely debilitating. Tension headaches and migraine headaches are two common types of headache disorder, and if you are afflicted with them, they can have a seriously detrimental effect on your quality of life.

While many people who suffer from tension and migraine headaches feel like they’ve tried everything to make them stop, they may have missed a common culprit – their teeth. A condition known as bruxism that causes clenching and grinding of the teeth can lead to a number of additional concerns including facial and jaw pain, erosion of the teeth, neck pain, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ/TMD), and even tension and migraine headaches.

How Can a Dentist Treat My Migraines?

If you feel like you’ve tried everything to get rid of your tension or migraine headaches and nothing seems to be working, please give our office a call. Many people don’t even realize that they clench or grind their teeth because it happens at night while they are sleeping. Dr. Kim will perform a thorough examination to look for the telltale signs of bruxism.

If bruxism does appear to be a factor in your headaches, we can treat your headaches by stopping the grinding and the clenching. One of the ways we do this is with a variety of oral appliances and night guards.

Night Guards and Oral Appliances

Your night guard or oral appliance will be custom-made to fit your mouth perfectly. Night guards are designed to prevent your teeth from touching while they sleep and to hold your mouth in a slack position. This prevents further damage to your teeth and irritation of your nerves caused by the tightening of your facial muscles.

Many of the most common headache treatments require you to quickly take medication or even give yourself an injection as soon as you feel the first signs of a headache. You may have also logged your diet carefully trying to identify “trigger foods” that need to be avoided. Night guards work to prevent headaches from ever developing. You will get a good night’s sleep, and soon, your tension and migraine headaches will become a thing of the past.

Types of Night Guards and Oral Appliances

Depending on your needs, we may recommend an oral appliance that can be worn around the clock or a guard that is only worn while you sleep. Appliances that are worn throughout the day are designed to be practically invisible, and nobody will ever know that you are wearing one.

Some night guards are designed to create a barrier between your teeth while others work by realigning your bite so that your back teeth can’t touch. One of the night guards we offer that is popular with our patients is the NTI-tss Plus, a small device that is worn between your front teeth. Patients really appreciate the smaller size and comfortable fit.

Contact Us

Don’t let grinding, clenching, and headaches run your life. Contact our Wausau dental office today to schedule your examination and consultation with Dr. James Kim.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is bruxism?

In plain speech, bruxism is a disorder in which a person unconsciously and compulsively grinds or clenches their teeth.

Causes of bruxism vary but can include stress, certain sleep disorders, or dental problems like crooked or missing teeth.

If bruxism goes untreated, the result could be painful headaches and migraines, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ/TMD), and tooth damage.

Once we understand the causes of your bruxism, we can recommend an appropriate plan of action. If stress is contributing to your bruxism, it might be wise to schedule an appointment with a mental health professional to find out if you can reduce the amount of stress in your life or the way you react to it. If a sleep disorder is the culprit, scheduling an appointment for a sleep study may help. If a dental problem is the likely cause, we can explore orthodontics or tooth restoration options to bring your teeth into proper alignment.

In the meantime, we can prevent pain and further damage to your teeth with an occlusal guard (often known as a “nightguard”). The nightguard is worn while you sleep when most tooth grinding happens. Depending on your needs, it can keep your teeth from coming into contact with each other or absorb the force from the grinding.

How can a dentist treat migraines?

A migraine headache is incredibly painful and debilitating… but what does it have to do with your teeth?

Actually, it could have everything to do with your teeth!

Migraines have a host of causes. Some people can easily identify their migraine triggers, such as excess stress or certain foods. Others, however, find that their migraine triggers appear to be a mystery. In these cases, a dentist can help.

Some migraines are triggered by bruxism, a condition in which the patient involuntarily clenches and grinds their teeth. This often occurs overnight, while you are sleeping. The constant clenching of the muscles is believed to irritate the nerves, which leads to a migraine headache. By treating the bruxism, we can prevent the migraines.

Treatment is usually pretty simple. A customized splint (often referred to as a “nightguard”) helps to stop the clenching and grinding while you sleep, preventing the muscle tension and nerve irritation. By treating the source of your migraines, we can prevent them! Splints come in different sizes and styles. Dr. Kim will carefully analyze your situation to identify the appropriate type of splint for your needs.

If you suffer from migraines and nothing seems to be helping, please call our office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kim to find out if a custom-made night guard could help stop your headaches.

Meet Our Doctor:

James S. Kim DDS

Dr. James S. Kim received his Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University of Chicago and his DDS from the prestigious University of Illinois College of Dentistry, also in Chicago. He has maintained a private practice in Wausau with an emphasis in family, cosmetic, implant, and sedation dentistry since 2000.

Dr. Kim is committed to staying current in the dental field, attending 150-200 hours of continuing education per year. Additionally, he has trained with some of the best clinicians in the world such as Dr. Frank Spear at The Seattle Institute ...