TMJ

[Tacori E-ring]

I have a few questions for those PSers with TMJ...how were you diagnosed? What treatment did you do? Anyone use Soma? Did you have relief?

 

[dianne]

Hi Tacori: I had TMJ 25 years ago so I am sure things have come a long way since then. I, unfortunately, had to have surgery to correct mine but I was grateful it worked for me. I suffered terribly before the surgery. My jaw would lock either closed or open at any given time...sleep was almost impossible because of the pain. Are you asking for yourself or someone else? My heart goes out to anyone afflicted.

ETA: Regarding Soma, I have no idea what that is....sorry.
ETA, again: Sheesh, I should pay attention and fully answer your questions, huh? Really, the only treatment I had was a night guard to wear while sleeping, which never seemed to help at all. I'm sure the TMJ came from clenching my teeth at night.

 

[somethingshiny]

Diagnosed with TMJ around 12 yrs ago by my dentist. I was basically told to deal with it. I had to shift my jaw to the right to actually open my mouth far enough to eat. There was LOTS of clicking and catching, headaches and neck aches. Several years later I got a new dentist. He corrected some misaligned fillings and a root canal and I had significant relief within a week. It still acts up now and again, mostly when I sleep on my face, but it's not bad enough now to warrant any action.

If you're suffering from TMJ, you have my sympathies. I swear it's like a migraine in your jaw. Hope you find relief!

 

[elrohwen]

A co-worker of mine had it so bad that he had jaw surgery - it involved months out of work with his jaw wired shut. Not fun! I hope you don't need anything that serious.

 

[Alistra]

My dentist diagnosed me with mild TMJ and bruxism (teeth grinding). I have never had any drug treatment for it. I have tried a mouth guard. I hate it and I don't wear it that much. I am a light sleeper, and it makes it more difficult for me to go to sleep and stay asleep.

I have found something that really helped me, but it is considered an alternative therapy. Craniosacral therapy made a huge difference for me! I know that some people say there is no evidence that it works, but my jaw is so much better since I have been treated. My dentist even asked me about it last time I had a cleaning. He saw a marked improvement, and was interested in possibly referring his other patients for treatment. It only took me two one hour sessions (about a year ago), and I am see a drastic improvement. This might not work for everyone, but it is fairly inexpensive and non-invasive. It might be worth looking into.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Thanks everyone. My dentist said I have it but I was confused how she came to that conclusion. I do get jaw pain/discomfort/fatigue. I have clicking and sometimes popping but my jaw has never come unhinged or stuck. Maybe it is mild then? I also have lots of random teeth pain from grinding and clenching my teeth. It does negatively affect my sleep which sucks b/c I am not a great sleeper to begin with. Soma is a muscle relaxer that her patients have had luck with. I guess it could "re-train" my jaw. I am nervous to use it so I guess I should try it when I have nothing to do the next day. I also just started with a mouth guard which I need to get used to. I just want to get through an entire day without pain. Fingers crossed.

 

[diamondringlover]

My dentist diagnosed mine 35 years ago cant believe its been that long ago...anyway they havent done anything for mine, but I think mine is mild, I do know that when I get my teeth cleaned that my jaw will ache for days afterwards from keeping my mouth open to long, I do have chronic headaches which I think is from my TMJ, I just try not to open my mouth to far as my bone will jump out of the socket and it hurts. Good luck with the mouthpiece, hope it helps.

 

[charbie]

Tac: I feel your pain (literally) if you have been experiencing any associated with TMJ. I was diagnosed about 6 years ago when my jaw locked shut. I always knew something wasn't right because I had the clicks and pops when I opened my mouth wide. I clench and grind at night, so much that my front teeth are all flat. Occasionally i wake up with jaw pain that radiates up the side of my head. I went to a TMJ specialist bc my dentist said there was not much he could do. After consulting my insurance company, I learned TMJ and treatments for TMJ are not covered by very many insurance companies. The treatment (day and night guards and an implant) is too expensive for me right now (5k. And not guaranteed) so I'm just waiting for the day my jaw locks again and I have to do treatment!

 

[PinkTower]

I had it after an accident 25 years ago. I went through a series of mouth guards, graduating from very thick to thin over a period of about a year. I did not have surgery. I still have short periods of numbness above my upper lip, and any sinus headache causes pain in my jaw. Painwise, I would say an eight on a scale of one to ten. Natural childbirth was a breeze in comparison the following year.

 

[sphenequeen]

Tacori -

I have a mouth guard that I wear at night. It took a while for me to get used to, but it has helped me considerably. When I do not wear the guard, I find that I have pain in my jaw during the day and my jaw will often "pop" and "click."

Years ago, my boyfriend at the time told me that I grind my teeth in my sleep. I would also notice that throughout the day I would clench my teeth for no apparent reason. I think I must be uptight . When he recommended the nightguard, it made a world of difference. If this is an option for you, give it a whirl. I always think that methods like this are better than taking a pill.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[calibali]

A note on nightguards -

I have bruxism and I recently got a thin nightguard that covers all of my bottom teeth. I couldn't fall asleep with a nightguard on my top teeth, but the bottom one is hardly noticeable and very comfortable. Also, my dentist really pushed me to stick with a top one, but I knew I wouldn't wear it so I figured any protection is better than none. If you need to get a nightguard, get what you're comfortable wearing...

Hope you find relief soon!

 

[sphenequeen]

Tacori -

I have a mouth guard that I wear at night. It took a while for me to get used to, but it has helped me considerably. When I do not wear the guard, I find that I have pain in my jaw during the day and my jaw will often "pop" and "click."

Years ago, my boyfriend at the time told me that I grind my teeth in my sleep. I would also notice that throughout the day I would clench my teeth for no apparent reason. I think I must be uptight . When he recommended the nightguard, it made a world of difference. If this is an option for you, give it a whirl. I always think that methods like this are better than taking a pill.

GOOD LUCK!

I should clarify that my dentist, not my ex-boyfriend, recommended the night guard

 

[Lilac]

I have TMJ but luckily my jaw has never locked. I get jaw pain, clicking when I open my mouth too wide, and very bad headaches. I clench and grind my teeth a lot at night. My dentist made a thick plastic night guard for my top teeth (it definitely wasn't cheap!) but after wearing it for a couple weeks my headaches and jaw pain went away. It was SO much better! I'm in the middle of doing Invisalign right now so I can't wear my night guard anymore, but once I finish the Invisalign I'm going to have another night guard made for my teeth - can't wait to get rid of these headaches and pain again.

 

[miraclesrule]

I had it. It sucked. I thought I had a really bad ear infection. It was severe. I think it was right after I had bitten down on a bagel and the top front tooth hit my bottom tooth so hard that my head was in a stupor. A few weeks after that I clicking in one ear. Then I had intense pain. Diagnosed after my ears were completely clear. Doctor put hi thumb on the TMjoint and pressed down while I opened my mouth. Yowza!! That was that.

I took Soma thinking it was pain medication and made myself sick. It was a bad scene. I'm glad it went away and I have never had it since. It took a few weeks to clear up.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Thank you for sharing all of your experiences!

Miracle, she told me to take the Soma before bed and whenever the tightness/pain was the worst. I am nervous about taking a muscle relaxer but she said it can retrain my jaw. Interesting concept if I can function! I cannot believe it cleared up in 2 weeks. That is fantastic and inspiring! I figured this was a life long thing. Glad to hear that is not the case.

Lavender, my jaw has never locked either. I just started with the mouth guard. Lasted until 6 am until I pulled it out. Haha. Slow progress, but the night before I took it out around 2 am.

Sphen, I have been a life long teeth grinder. My mom always told me I did as a child.

Cali, how interesting! I had a lower guard first that only covered my front 8 teeth and HATED it. It made me gag and since I clench it caused too much pain and stress on my front teeth. They made me a new one for the top that is a full guard. It does feel more comfortable for me.

Pink, that is cool you got a series of mouth guards.

Charbie, I can't believe insurance doesn't cover it. I don't have dental but if you do, it should be covered! It is a MEDICAL problem. Hope you find some relief soon.

diamond, funny you mention your jaw being sore after a cleaning. Mine is too but I never thought much about it. My jaw even gets sore if I eat hard candy.

 

[kenny]

I had TMJ and my dentist made a splint which I wear when sleeping Mon-Fri.

When he first told me I had TMJ I asked what caused it.
He said, "Too Much Jabbering".

 

[zoebartlett]

I've never had TMJ but I did take Soma when I hurt my back over the summer. It worked really well and I didn't have any negative side affects.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Kenny, how is a splint different than a mouth guard? How interesting. I KNOW mine is caused by excessive grinding and clenching which worsens with stress.

Zoe, thanks for chiming in. I am nervous to take it. I hate taking advil! She wrote the script to take 3-4 times a day for two weeks but told me to only take it twice a day. Not sure why she gave me more...

 

[kenny]

Kenny, how is a splint different than a mouth guard? How interesting. I KNOW mine is caused by excessive grinding and clenching which worsens with stress.
.

I also had "excessive grinding and clenching which worsens with stress".
Below is a pic of my splint.
It snaps tightly and perfectly onto the upper teeth.

When I went in for a sleep study I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and also they mentioned I had bruxism (grinding of teeth while asleep).
Bruxism can drastically wear down teeth and cause all kinds of jaw problems leading to other medical problems.

My dentist, who is highly regarded and teaches at top-top-top-rated University dental and medical school, took impressions of my upper and lower teeth/gums and made this splint in the pic below.
He told me to wear it M-Th while sleeping - and don't wear anything F-Sun.
It is acrylic with stainless steel support/brace thingies.
I brush it daily and my dentist checks and optimizes the fit (adding or grinding away acrylic and tweaking the steel tingies) 3 times a year.

He said the slant in the pallet just behind the upper front teeth (not visible in the pic) causes bruxism (clenching teeth while sleeping) to subside.
He says the goal is for when the upper and lower try to grind against each other, the slant just makes the upper and lower slide apart instead of being able to grind.

It works.

My apologies if anyone finds a dental devise to be gross.
My intention is to answer the question and help; not freak anyone out.

Since I got it 5 years ago all my symptoms of jaw pain and headaches have vanished.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Thanks for posting it Kenny. Mine looks like that except there is no metal. My guard was also custom made and snaps onto my teeth. That is great all of your symptoms are gone.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

UPDATE: I finally got my new guard and have gotten used to it. It was easier for me to get used to than the bottom one. After a couple nights I already have bite marks from my bottom teeth. Kinda scary. I still have tooth/jaw pain. I am going to start Soma tonight. Fingers crossed.

 

[Haven]

I used to have TMJ and bruxism. I tried a mouth guard but I'd wake up every morning to find that I had flung it across the room in my sleep.

Over time I noticed that my jaw pain diminished when I was on vacation, having a particularly good week, etc. I kept a journal to see if my stress level affected my grinding, and lo and behold, it did. This was years ago, and I've been carefully planning a low stress lifestyle for myself since. And I gave up gum completely, but that was more because I became an adult than anything.

Anyway, I have no idea if other people grind their teeth because of stress, but I did. I haven't had jaw pain in years, which is a huge relief. I was in serious pain for a while, there--jaw locked slightly open, throbbing pain after eating anything other than apple sauce, constant headaches.

It's worth a shot to give destressing a try if you think that may be part of the problem for you, too.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Haven, stress is a big issue in my life and I agree that it has triggered my TMJ. I think going to grad school tipped the scales. They already warned me about gum or super chewy foods. My mouth guard it TIGHT but one night I did take it out unknowingly. I panicked until I found it b/c that's an expensive thing to misplace! That's great you are pain free! I hope to be there soon!

 

[Haven]

I realized that you're in grad school as I was posting my response. I can tell you that I definitely had some clenching and grinding issues when I was in grad school, so I totally understand how hard it is to *ever* relax as a grad student.

Hopefully your mouth guard will help. Those suckers are expensive, I was really upset that I absolutely could not keep it in all night.

I start to clench my jaw if I'm really stressed when I'm trying to fall asleep at night, so one thing I do is I start at my toes and contract my muscles for a few seconds, and then relax them. Then I move up my legs all the way to my face, and by the time I get to my jaw I feel really relaxed. It probably sounds like a really silly thing, but my second dad (a super close family friend) used to have us do that at night when we were little and couldn't fall asleep. It really helps me with falling asleep in general, but it REALLY helps me with the clenching. I'm not sure if you grind or clench, but I know those are things that made my TMJ really bad, and for whatever reason this little exercise helps me stop doing both.

A glass of wine before bed doesn't hurt, either.

I hope you feel better.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Thanks for the tip Haven. I will try it tonight. Between school, toddler, husband, life is just stressful. Unless one of them leaves this is the way it's gonna be for the next 2 years. Better be worth it! Seriously though, I am a clencher AND a grinder. Such an overachiever. I even catch myself clenching during the day. I took half a Soma last night. Didn't really notice a difference. My teeth were still sore this morning but I know I have to give it more time. I will take a whole one tonight. It did help me sleep better!

 

[geckodani]

I used to have TMJ and bruxism. I tried a mouth guard but I'd wake up every morning to find that I had flung it across the room in my sleep.

Over time I noticed that my jaw pain diminished when I was on vacation, having a particularly good week, etc. I kept a journal to see if my stress level affected my grinding, and lo and behold, it did. This was years ago, and I've been carefully planning a low stress lifestyle for myself since. And I gave up gum completely, but that was more because I became an adult than anything.

Anyway, I have no idea if other people grind their teeth because of stress, but I did. I haven't had jaw pain in years, which is a huge relief. I was in serious pain for a while, there--jaw locked slightly open, throbbing pain after eating anything other than apple sauce, constant headaches.

It's worth a shot to give destressing a try if you think that may be part of the problem for you, too.

This pretty much describes me completely. Night guards are flung across the room. I still have TMJ, but it's fairly mild. Interestingly enough when I broke my retainers and stopped wearing them my teeth shifted - and the TMJ headaches got better. Something about letting them go back to what I suppose is a more natural bite for me helped immensely. My retainers forced my lower jaw back (I have a bit of an under bite) and I honestly think that contributed to the problems. My jaw used to lock at night (very scary!!!) and it hasn't happened in years. I also NEVER chew gum, and that helped a lot as well. If I notice I'm holding my jaw oddly during the day I make a conscious effort to relax it.

Good luck Tacori!

ETA: You may want to consider going to see a chiropractor. I find that when he adjusts my neck it lowers the stress on my jaw. Not sure why, but I'm not arguing!