I suffered from headaches for almost 10 years and tried every remedy known to man to ease the pain: medications, massages, biofeedback and even considered physical therapy at one point. Each therapy worked temporarily, so I continued to suffer on a daily basis. Eventually, the pain migrated into my neck and shoulders, and I never knew if I was going to wake up almost immobile due to the pain and stiffness. I made appointments with several different “experts;” from chiropractors to a holistic approach known as Rolfing, with no permanent success. I was told that headaches are endemic in our culture due to every day stressors and that I was going to have to learn to “live with it.”
I contacted Dr. Arthur Chal to discuss some esthetic and reconstructive dentistry, and by happenstance, informed him of head, neck and shoulder pain that I suffered from on a daily basis. After evaluating my case, he sent me to have an MRI completed. After several questions, measuring of my jaw, and review of the MRI, Dr. Chal informed me that I suffered from Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD). Dr. Chal told me that TMD is probably the least understood and most miss-diagnosed of all health problems. There are two primary reasons why TMD headaches are so commonly undiagnosed or miss-diagnosed: the symptoms can be almost exactly the same as either the sinus headache or the tension headache. The second reason TMD headaches are commonly undiagnosed or miss-diagnosed is that physicians are almost totally untrained regarding diagnosis and treatment of TMD, as it falls under the field of dentistry. Unfortunately, most dentists are poorly trained or not trained at all in TMD, and although some dentists recognize TMD problems, they are unable to accurately identify the source of the problem. Their best effort to manage the problem is to use a therapy that is directed solely toward the symptoms, and does absolutely nothing to resolve the underlying cause of the problem. Dr. Chal suggested, in conjunction with my reconstructive dentistry, to invest in a mouth orthotic, as I tend to clench my jaw throughout the day and tap and grind my teeth at night. One month into wearing the mouth orthotic, my headaches are gone! Something else I discovered is that my jaw no longer hurts; it became such a routine part of my life that I never even noticed I was in pain. The orthotic fits perfectly – I don’t spit it out at night as I did other mouth guards – and Dr. Chal and his assistant, Lisa, continually monitor the fit.
Dr. Chal is an absolutely phenomenal dentist and a true expert in the field of TMD and Esthetic and Reconstructive Dentistry. I highly recommend you contact Dr. Chal for all your dentistry needs, as he has a team of experts, who compliment his area of expertise. With them you will no doubt have a happy and healthy mouth and smile.
Front desk:
Hygiene rating:
Hygiene time: 30
I know this doctor: 3
out of 5 stars
