– Headaches & Jaw-Related Migraines in Calgary SW

Many patients who suffer from chronic headaches – especially those that strike in the morning, at the temples, or in the forehead – don’t realise their jaw is the source. Tension from nighttime grinding, clenching, and TMJ dysfunction generates enormous muscle force that radiates upward into the head. At Westside Dental, we treat the jaw problem that’s driving the headache – often achieving lasting relief where other approaches have failed.

The jaw-headache connection: The masseter muscle – the large jaw muscle you can feel when you clench – is one of the most powerful muscles in the body. When it is chronically overactive from grinding or clenching, it creates tension that spreads to the temples, the forehead, and the base of the skull. Treating the jaw treats the headache.

How we treat it: EMVITAL laser therapy reduces deep muscle inflammation and pain – averaging a 41% reduction in perceived jaw pain in clinical studies. Therapeutic Botox relaxes the overactive masseter, reducing the force that drives both grinding and tension headaches. EMFACE rehabilitates the jaw muscles directly. For patients who grind at night, a custom mouth guard protects the joint and reduces strain.