TMJ

So I have TMJ. I know that this disorder is fairly common and that most people just deal with it, but mine actually bothers me quite a bit. My jaw is very tense and hurts a lot of the time. It’s painful to open my mouth very wide, and if I open it past a certain point it pops/clicks rather loudly. Sometimes if I move my jaw the wrong way it cracks and is very painful. I also get headaches almost every day, and I’ve eliminated almost every plausible cause for the headaches other than the TMJ. They are very disruptive to my life.

The thing is, I don’t really know what my options are in terms of treating this, and I’m sort of at a roadblock. I saw my dentist and told him about my symptoms, and he said quote “you have TMJ and we don’t deal with that here” and referred me to an oral surgeon. The oral surgeon said that I needed to have my wisdom teeth out and that was likely the cause of my problems. I had the surgery and about a month later the pain was just as bad if not worse, so I went back to see him and he told me that the TMJ was apparently not related to my wisdom teeth and if it was that much of a problem to go see my dentist because he didn’t deal with TMJ anymore. So I don’t know who to go to. My parents aren’t being very helpful because they don’t really understand TMJ—they don’t get that it can cause headaches and they think that the other symptoms are nothing to be bothered by, and they don’t see anyway that this could be treated so why bother looking into it.

So I guess my question is does anyone else deal with something like this and what did you do about it? Those who suffer from TMJ—did you just deal with the symptoms or did you get some sort of treatment? Thanks.

You look quite young.  Are you at university?  If your uni has a medical and dental school they usually run dental clinics which deal with TMJ issues.  TMJ issues can actually be incredibly easy to solve. I know a girl who had chronic headaches and the same jaw popping/cracking issues as you describe and she got a moulded mouthplate made which she had to wear while she slept and after about a month her symptoms had completely gone. 

Otherwise, ask your dentist again and get him to refer you to someone. Just bug him. Stupid dentists.

*edit* just looked at your profile and you are still at school, try ringing around universities in your area for dental schools!

If your dentist and oral surgeon refuse, call around to see who can help you. Some options for treating TMJ (Which I have) are a mouth guard molded specifically for your mouth, as singing_girl mentioned and another one is muscle relaxants.  My symptoms were once to the point that you have now. My dentist made me a mouth gaurd. I've also had my wisdom teeth removed, and at the time my oral surgeon injected a solution into my joint to wash it out, and that helped some with the joint pain.  He did this at the same time that my wisdom teeth were removed.

There are dentists out there that will treat TMJ. Talk to friends for referrals to dentists they trust, or call around and see who treats TMJ. I know what a big deal it is! From what I understand it is also a condition that can "come and go". You might not always have the popping. Mine lessened (I don't know if it was from my wisdom teeth removal or not), and now my only problem is clenching my teeth when I am stressed. I had to stop eating really tough and hard foods (like carrots) for a long time because they only aggravated my jaw.

Thanks for the replies guys. I will definitely look around for another dentist who can help me or refer me to someone who can. I think my jaw has been aggrevated more than usual lately between having my wisdom teeth out and clenching my teeth at night, which I have a problem with. I have a night guard but it doesn't seem to be helping much because even though I can't actually grind my teeth I still clench. So maybe a different kind of night guard or muscle relaxment would help.

I have a night guard just for clenching. My dentist explained that clenching the plastic is less harmful than clenching tooth to tooth. I stopped wearing it for a month while travelling (I was afraid of losing it) and the headaches and face pain came back. So, the mouth guard seems to work for clenching as well. Good luck.

No one should have to go through that pain when it can be helped.

I have an appliance that my dentist made for me.  Looks like a retainer.  I actually cracked my jaw joint from TMJ twice.  My dentist did a lot of work on my mouth that year.

As stated above~Call around and find a dentist that will make you one.  Twenty years ago it cost me $600 for mine because I was not insured at the time.  My dentist was nice and let me make payments.

I have had my dentist for thirty years now and he still takes classes on all the latest dental tech.  I don't know what I am going to do when he retires.

i was made a night guard also.  i was also ordered valium when i was like 17 or 18 and the valium relieved the pain/spasms.  i never thought my gaurd helped.. i also didn't always wear it (but also because i didn't think it actually helped).

who knows i have had flare ups and occasionally my new dentist gives the valium (muscle relaxer) for a short period and it helps break the cycle.  i generally think its frowned upon for long term use.. but idk.

good luck.

I've had a TMJ disorder for about 20 years. When I was a teenager it got really bad, the popping and soreness was pretty intense. My jaws were actually stuck open for a couple days! I went to an oral surgeon in my small town who told me the MRI of my jaw looked like an 80 year old's.  They advised a very expensive facial surgery that would repair the worn cartilidge but I wouldn't be able to eat solid food for about 6 months afterwards and he said I'd probably never be able to eat certain foods again like steak or apples. That didn't sound that great, so my parents took me to the University of Washington to get a second opinion. The specialist there made a night guard for me and basically told me I would have to be super aware of how I held my jaws, to never clench them and to make sure my teeth weren't even touching each other unless I was eating. I wasn't even aware that I had been grinding my teeth in my sleep but after a while the night guard got these deep grooves where my canines dug into it all night. I wore it every night for several years and made sure never to clench my jaws. Eventually I stopped grinding and don't have to wear it anymore.  My jaw still clicks but it doesn't hurt anymore. I'm really glad I didn't have the surgery!

I have TMJ as well.  Chewing gum really aggravates it, so avoid that.  My dentist also gave me a mouth guard.  He called it a bite splint.  If you clench your jaws at night, this will help keep the muscles in your jaw from getting as tight.  If you have allergies, the sinus pressure can also aggravate it.  Take antihistamines or decongestants to help that.

I have TMJ that really flares up when I'm in high stress situations.  I have a lot of the symtoms you listed (my jaw pops continuously), but it gets really painful at night when my teeth grind against each other.  My solution was a mouth guard I bought from Rite Aid...  I think it was $50 if I remember correctly.  You stick it in boiling water for a couple of minutes, stick it in your mouth and it conforms to both your upper and lower tetth.  It was hard sleeping with it at first (I woke up several mornings with the guard on the complete opposite side of the room where I got frustrated with it at night and threw it), but it does help.

I have since switched jobs to a less stressful one and the nightly grinding has gone away.  I still have occasional pain and popping, but it has improved a lot.

Please go see an orthodontist.  They deal with structure of the FACE not just your teeth.  I work in the orthodontic industry and they are by far the foremost experts in correcting TMJ.  May still mean you need surgery but they will be the ones to identify the problem and possible corrections. 

Good Luck

Original Post by jbbrenner:

Please go see an orthodontist.  They deal with structure of the FACE not just your teeth.  I work in the orthodontic industry and they are by far the foremost experts in correcting TMJ.  May still mean you need surgery but they will be the ones to identify the problem and possible corrections. 

 

Good Luck

Just an aside: orthodontia did not solve my TMJ. My teeth are straight and my overbite is gone, but the TMJ remains.

I have TMJ also, and unfortunately I am forced to "grin and bear it" so to speak because I don't have insurance. Even when I did, insurance wouldn't cover it because it wasn't viewed as necessary.

I'd really love to get a mouth guard or something at some point because when I am stressed the pain/popping can be severe. Good luck :)

Original Post by danikat15:

...(I woke up several mornings with the guard on the complete opposite side of the room where I got frustrated with it at night and threw it), but it does help.

 This was my problem w/ the nite guard as well.  My dentist wanted to try it before anything more invasive, but for MONTHS, I would take the thing out in my sleep.  He finally recommended the surgery, which I was okay with (was never told I would *never* be able to eat steak or chewy foods again, but was told that I shouldn't be eating them now).  I made an appointment to go see the specialist, but he charges 170.00 for the consultation, and my benefits from work specifically state that "no charges related to TMJ related treatments or assessments" will be covered... That included the $5000-$7000 surgery.  I certainly don't have that kind of spare cash just kicking around.

Now, I also just have to "grin and bear it" until my benefits are updated... IF they're updated.

you could try hypnosis

(i use a night guard and it works really well for me)

I have TMJ also.. My jaw used to crack everyyytime I opened it for awhile... Kissing boys and all! haha..

It has gotten to the point where I don't even notice it anymore..

Chew as little gum as possible, as the constant "open/close" motion doesn't help... and try to lay off of chewy foods for awhile.

Have you tried anotherdentist? or maybe have a consultation from an oral surgeon. Sometimes they can suggest some things that can make the TMJ less painful or a mouth piece to sleep with it in to try and correct the problem.

Honestly though, it gets better (well.. for me it did at least) over time. It doesn't bother me at all anymore..

I'm a little late, too, but just wanted to give you a word of warning against mouth guards that you buy at Wal-Mart, etc, that aren't custom made. I don't know if this is well founded or not, but my dentist told me (I clench / gring during the night which gives me huge headaches) that those can actually make your clenching worse because it allows your body to get used to clenching, and you might start clenching even harder because you are biting down on a huge chunk of plastic! Of course, he did want me to get a $2,000 custom-fit mouth guard... I used one of the sports guards and yes, it felt so good to be able to just squeeze that thing in my teeth, but I can totally see his point.

Also, if you check the dental aisle of your drug store there are mouth guards sold in with the toothpaste, etc., that are made specifically to wear while sleeping. So if danger to your teeth and jaw is imminent, go for one of those before you go for one of the sports guards. Good luck!