If you have frequent headaches that painkillers never quite fix, the cause may be your jaw — not your head. Jaw tension from clenching, grinding, or an unbalanced bite is a common, often-missed driver of chronic tension headaches. Dr. Amin Samadian, DDS, practiced in Orinda for nine years and continues to treat East Bay patients for the jaw cause behind these headaches — without surgery — from the San Francisco Center for TMJ & Sleep Apnea. Call 415-570-2841 to book at our 450 Sutter St office.
A familiar face for Lamorinda & East Bay patients
Many East Bay patients already know Dr. Samadian from his years in Orinda. Patients from Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Berkeley, and Oakland travel to the San Francisco office because jaw-driven headaches are so often misdiagnosed elsewhere — and treating the jaw is what finally resolves them.
How jaw tension becomes a headache
The muscles that move your jaw connect into your temples and the side of your head. When those muscles are overworked — from clenching, grinding, or a bite that forces them to compensate — the strain refers upward as a dull, recurring headache, usually felt at the temples or forehead. Because it doesn't feel like it comes from the jaw, it's often treated as a "regular" headache for years.
Signs your headaches may be TMJ-related
- Headaches at the temples or forehead, often in the morning
- Jaw soreness, clicking, or a tired jaw
- You clench or grind (day or night)
- Tenderness in the jaw or temple muscles when pressed
- Headaches that worsen with stress, chewing, or long workdays
Treating the cause, not just the symptom
Once an exam confirms the jaw is driving your headaches, treatment focuses there:
Custom oral orthotic
Rebalances the bite and rests the jaw muscles so the referred tension eases.
Botox for jaw & temple muscles
Calms the overactive muscles that generate tension headaches while the bite is addressed.
Night guard for clenching
If you grind or clench at night, protecting and resting the jaw overnight often reduces morning headaches.
These are part of a complete plan — see our East Bay TMJ treatment overview and the related East Bay jaw pain treatment page.
Getting here from the East Bay
The office at 450 Sutter St is a short walk from the Powell St and Montgomery St BART stations — for most East Bay patients, BART is the easiest way in, with no bridge traffic or parking to find.
Get to the real source of your headaches
Serving the East Bay and greater Bay Area from 450 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94108, and new-patient consultations are available — call for the soonest opening. Call 415-570-2841 or request an appointment online.
Patients Dr. Samadian has treated for TMJ-related headaches and jaw disorders share their experience in their own words. Individual results vary.
