saaraah
03-04-2005, 12:24 PM
i believe that there was someone on this board who was going to dr. frazer in toronto, but i cant remember who you are. :) i was wondering how your treatment went and how much it cost because im planning on getting a consult with him, and i'd like some feedback before i go. :)
oh, does anyone know of other good dentists in toronto?
thanks,
- saaraah.
oh, does anyone know of other good dentists in toronto?
thanks,
- saaraah.
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spacenut99
03-14-2005, 08:40 PM
Hi Saaraah,
That was me! I am still seeing Dr. Frazer--have been since last June.
I am definetely doing A LOT better now than I was a year ago. My bite was at 15mm and now it is at 30mm, which is not as good as Dr. F wants it to be but is certainly a major improvement.
My pain is much better than it was, but I am not 100% pain free, and he thinks it is because I was so bad for so long. Despite this, I would recommend him b/c he does really know his stuff, and he had not abandoned me (unlike some dentists!).
As for the cost, it was pretty reasonable. The consultation was about $40, and the splint was about $400. Subsequent visits have been $90 depending on what he does, but I have had many visits with him that I have not been charged for.
Normally his patients do not have so many visits, but since I have not been doing as well as he would have liked, I have had to go back many times.
Feel free to ask me any other questions!
Lisa
That was me! I am still seeing Dr. Frazer--have been since last June.
I am definetely doing A LOT better now than I was a year ago. My bite was at 15mm and now it is at 30mm, which is not as good as Dr. F wants it to be but is certainly a major improvement.
My pain is much better than it was, but I am not 100% pain free, and he thinks it is because I was so bad for so long. Despite this, I would recommend him b/c he does really know his stuff, and he had not abandoned me (unlike some dentists!).
As for the cost, it was pretty reasonable. The consultation was about $40, and the splint was about $400. Subsequent visits have been $90 depending on what he does, but I have had many visits with him that I have not been charged for.
Normally his patients do not have so many visits, but since I have not been doing as well as he would have liked, I have had to go back many times.
Feel free to ask me any other questions!
Lisa
saaraah
03-14-2005, 09:41 PM
lisa, thank you so much for replying! i made an appointment for the middle of april, so i'll see how that goes. it's great that you're still seeing improvements. :)
what is the name of your splint? im sorry if you said before, but what was your diagnosis [im guessing disc displacement w/o reduction]? do you have articular changes to your condyles? what is his goal for your treatment?
the receptionist seemed really nice, which is always a bonus. i am most definitely not trying to get my hopes up, since it's oh-so-wonderfully-depressing to fail treatments.
thanks again.. i may come up with more questions. :)
- saaraah.
what is the name of your splint? im sorry if you said before, but what was your diagnosis [im guessing disc displacement w/o reduction]? do you have articular changes to your condyles? what is his goal for your treatment?
the receptionist seemed really nice, which is always a bonus. i am most definitely not trying to get my hopes up, since it's oh-so-wonderfully-depressing to fail treatments.
thanks again.. i may come up with more questions. :)
- saaraah.
spacenut99
03-15-2005, 02:29 PM
Hi Saaraah,
I'm not sure what the exact name of my splint is. I have an upper and lower splint, and he calls it a twin-block appliance. It brought my jaw down & forward, allowing the muscles to relax.
My diagnosis was disc displacement in both joints without reduction. I had tomos done in 2003 and one of my condyles was beginnig to 'flatten' (for lack of a better word!)
My goal for treatment was to get rid of as much pain as possible and open up my bite. Before treatment I could barely talk for longer than 20min without severe pain, and I was opening only 15mm for over one year.
Although my jaw is not perfect, I am pretty satisfied with treatment. Dr. Frazer had hoped to get my opening up around 45mm but it didn't happen. However, the pain has subsided for the most part so that is a major improvement.
I have had a few setbacks, including this past month when I tried wearing an NTI splint. That was a bit of a disaster so I am back to the twin-block splint, which is much better than the NTI in my opinion.
I have good days and bad days, but the bad days are nothing compared to what I experienced before I went to see Dr. Frazer.
I wish you luck with him. Please keep me posted and let me know how your visit goes. I don't mind the questions so keep those coming too!!
PS-the secretary Sheila is very friendly..a nice change compared to other offices!!!
Lisa :)
I'm not sure what the exact name of my splint is. I have an upper and lower splint, and he calls it a twin-block appliance. It brought my jaw down & forward, allowing the muscles to relax.
My diagnosis was disc displacement in both joints without reduction. I had tomos done in 2003 and one of my condyles was beginnig to 'flatten' (for lack of a better word!)
My goal for treatment was to get rid of as much pain as possible and open up my bite. Before treatment I could barely talk for longer than 20min without severe pain, and I was opening only 15mm for over one year.
Although my jaw is not perfect, I am pretty satisfied with treatment. Dr. Frazer had hoped to get my opening up around 45mm but it didn't happen. However, the pain has subsided for the most part so that is a major improvement.
I have had a few setbacks, including this past month when I tried wearing an NTI splint. That was a bit of a disaster so I am back to the twin-block splint, which is much better than the NTI in my opinion.
I have good days and bad days, but the bad days are nothing compared to what I experienced before I went to see Dr. Frazer.
I wish you luck with him. Please keep me posted and let me know how your visit goes. I don't mind the questions so keep those coming too!!
PS-the secretary Sheila is very friendly..a nice change compared to other offices!!!
Lisa :)
saaraah
03-17-2005, 12:48 PM
lisa :) thanks again for your reply.
does the twin block cause irreversible changes to your bite or jaw? will any of your molars erupt? will you have to wear that splint for the rest of your life or is there a phase II [braces, crowns, etc]?
from my research, thus far, ive seen it mostly used in young children to help their mandible grow correctly when it's underdeveloped, but websites do say that it is indicated for TMJD. interesting stuff. thank god for the internet. ;)
anyway, thanks :) i wish you continued success. :)
- saaraah.
does the twin block cause irreversible changes to your bite or jaw? will any of your molars erupt? will you have to wear that splint for the rest of your life or is there a phase II [braces, crowns, etc]?
from my research, thus far, ive seen it mostly used in young children to help their mandible grow correctly when it's underdeveloped, but websites do say that it is indicated for TMJD. interesting stuff. thank god for the internet. ;)
anyway, thanks :) i wish you continued success. :)
- saaraah.
spacenut99
03-19-2005, 05:24 PM
Saaraah,
The twin block is not supposed to cause irreversible changes to your bite. Dr. F. said that most patients can be weaned off the splint over time and the bite would gradually go back to where it was before. He does have some patients who wear the splint only at night to keep symptoms from recurring
However, he did say that there is a small chance that the bite will not go back, and then orthodontics or some other form of dental work would be required in order to move teeth into a new position. I guess it depends how well people respond to the splint and how bad the tmj problem is in the first place.
Im not sure about molars erupting...it hasn't happened to me and he never said anything about that.
Dr. F. was hoping to avoid a phase II for me, but it looks like that's where I'm headed. But he is still trying everything to get me 100% pain free before he does anything permanent.
hope this helps....
:) Lisa :)
The twin block is not supposed to cause irreversible changes to your bite. Dr. F. said that most patients can be weaned off the splint over time and the bite would gradually go back to where it was before. He does have some patients who wear the splint only at night to keep symptoms from recurring
However, he did say that there is a small chance that the bite will not go back, and then orthodontics or some other form of dental work would be required in order to move teeth into a new position. I guess it depends how well people respond to the splint and how bad the tmj problem is in the first place.
Im not sure about molars erupting...it hasn't happened to me and he never said anything about that.
Dr. F. was hoping to avoid a phase II for me, but it looks like that's where I'm headed. But he is still trying everything to get me 100% pain free before he does anything permanent.
hope this helps....
:) Lisa :)