Chicago Headaches
Chronic headaches that don’t respond to conventional treatment are one of the hallmark symptoms of a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. Chicago dentist Dr. James Fondriest has extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ dysfunction. He is a senior faculty member at the L.D. Pankey Institute, considered the leading center for the treatment of and research into TMJ disorders. Dentists from around the region refer their patients to see him for TMJ disorder. So if you have been to a headache clinic and are still suffering, consider getting an opinion from Dr. Fondriest.
Though the American Dental Association estimates that 15 percent of Americans have some type of TMJ disorder, our experience indicates that there are additional people who suffer unknowingly from the disorder. We often see patients who have suffered for years from chronic headaches, who have been to conventional headache clinics without relief, and who have achieved almost immediate relief once their condition was correctly diagnosed.
At Lake Forest Dental Arts, Dr. Fondriest will perform a detailed history and examination to determine whether TMJ is the root cause of a patient’s pain and how the joint condition is related. TMJ disorders have a variety of causes, including:
- trauma to the jaw,
- degenerative bone conditions, such as osteoarthritis,
- misalignment of the teeth,
- compulsive grinding of the teeth,
- excessive biting or gum chewing.
A patient’s treatment plan is individualized to his or her specific needs, based on the cause of the patient’s TMJ dysfunction and the extent of the damage to the teeth or jaw. If you are experiencing chronic headaches and have a history of one of the problems listed above, call our office to schedule an appointment. We have a high success rate treating even complicated cases of TMJ.
You can also learn more about TMJ and our practice on our main TMJ treatment page.
