Teeth grinding can lead to migraines because of the powerful pressure exerted by the muscles in the head and jaw when teeth are clenched.

The muscles that can cause headache and migraine symptoms are:

• temporalis - closes and clenches the jaw
• lateral pterygoid - moves the jaw side to side or forward
• trapezius - stabilizes the skull during jaw clenching and grinding.

One solution to headaches caused by tension in these muscles from bruxism is an FDA-approved dental device called NTI.

The NTI (Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition) tension suppression system is a small mouthpiece retrofitted and customized by the migraine sufferer's dentist.

The device snaps comfortably into place on either the upper or lower front teeth, and is worn during sleep to prevent the intensity of jaw muscle function caused by clenching or grinding the teeth.

Migraine sufferers can also wear a more discreet daytime version of the NTI, which usually must be worn for 6 to 8 weeks for best results.

In clinical trials, 82% of medically diagnosed migraine patients experienced a 77% reduction in migraine episodes within the first eight weeks of using the NTI device.

Many dental and medical plans help cover the cost of the NTI device for patients who suffer headaches triggered by bruxism.