Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about pain that strikes the head. Previously, we talked about pain that may feel like it’s coming from the teeth when actually it’s caused by the facial nerves. But the teeth can be a cause of facial or jaw pain.
People who wear dentures may have pain when their dentures don’t fit properly. The dentures may have fit well at first, but if the jaw bone deteriorates because it is no longer stimulated by teeth, the dentures may start to slip. Dr. Ron Caloss, an oral surgeon at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says dental implants may be a way to stabilize dentures and prevent this pain. Surgeons insert a titanium screw into the jaw bone, and then dentures are attached to this screw. The implant gives dentures the kind of stability that real teeth get from their roots. That eliminates the pain and difficulty chewing or talking that patients may experience with slipping dentures.
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February 2007
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