Hey Gang,
I went and met with the Neuro Dentist on Monday and what was blown away with what took place. Let me say that after seven years of dealing with chronic pain and everybody thinking I'm a hypochondriac, I am cautious to tell people close to me about something new I've been told by "another doctor" and believe in the "proofs in the pudding" theory. with that said, the doctor took me in his office with an assistant. I told him everything that I had gone through; from the Ociptcal nerve blocks for the headaches to the anxiety and panic attacks, MRI's, Neurologists, Reumetologists, Voodoo doctors, Homeopathy, chiropractic care, massages, optical migranes, and everything in between! I asked him if he thought that I was a hypochondriac and he said "no, I'm just someone dealing with chronic pain." That was enough for me to be opomistic. Without ever really doing anything other than looking at me, he diagnosed me with breathing problems on the left side of my face. And he was right; I usually wear a "Breathe Right" strip when severe symptoms come and usually chaulk it up to sinus problems. He then tells me that my left leg is shorter than my right leg! How he did this, I don't know! But again, he was right. I have been having problems with my entire left side and have rolled my left ankle and torn my left sartorius muscle in the last two years and have had to take physical therapy for my left side. Then he looks at my mouth and jaw and says that I have a class 3 under bite and severe TMD disorder and that I need braces to correct the problem.
He sends me to an orthodontist and podiatrist for braces and orthodics for my shoes. Now he does all of this and tells me to come back and see me in two years for further treatment of the jaw! He uses TENS units on the jaw area to give relief to the jaw muscles. Anyhow, he doesn't charge me a thing and I went for a consultation with the orthodontist today. He tells me that I do in fact have a severe problem with an under bite an occlusion. He took photos, x-rays, and casts, and told me to see him next Wednesday. He wants to try a soft splint first to see how I respond and depending how I do respond, then we will procede to whether I need to be fitted with braces to correct the problem or that surgery may be required. He said that the top teeth are overlapping the bottom teeth with is a result of a birth defect in how my moth was formed from birth. The surgery would require them to go in and break the rook of my mouth and bring back together the top teeth. THIS IS DEFINITELY A LAST RESORT!
The Neuro Dentist also did a test wear he made a temporary splint in about 20 seconds to see if this would help eliminate the headaches and ringing. within 2-3 minutes after wearing the splint my head, neck and facial pain went away as well as a reduction of the ringing. I was totally impressed! As soon as he removed the splint, the symptoms came back just like he said they would. Let me remind you that I had a hard splint made for me by a periodontist seven years ago and wore it faithfully for almost 3 months.
I would highly recommend a neuromuscular dentist to anyone who is dealing with TMD or symptoms that lead to TMD. The doctor I saw was Neslon Clements in Valdosta, Georgia.