Nenu
07-12-2007, 11:38 AM
Began wearing my splints. About 3 days in, lost sense of smell and taste. Has not returned since, and continued wearing the splints. About 3 days ago, I noticed that my bottom lip/sides of my lips started to feel numb. Almost like novacaine (sp?) on my lips but I still can feel the lips without a problem.
My chiropractor is 100% convinced there is nothing more to attribute this to except a nerve being irritated by the splints I am wearing, and that adjustments to the splints will correct the issue. The secretary at the dentist who I spoke with, and who has been working there for many years (an office that specializes in TMJ diagnosis and treatment) said she had never heard of such effects from the splint treatment.
Am I alone in this or has anyone experienced these symptoms from TMJ or wearing the splints? I am beginning to worry that something else may be wrong beyond the TMJ and the already suspected neurological condition (trigeminal neuralgia).
My chiropractor is 100% convinced there is nothing more to attribute this to except a nerve being irritated by the splints I am wearing, and that adjustments to the splints will correct the issue. The secretary at the dentist who I spoke with, and who has been working there for many years (an office that specializes in TMJ diagnosis and treatment) said she had never heard of such effects from the splint treatment.
Am I alone in this or has anyone experienced these symptoms from TMJ or wearing the splints? I am beginning to worry that something else may be wrong beyond the TMJ and the already suspected neurological condition (trigeminal neuralgia).
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Rascal12
07-12-2007, 12:37 PM
Please read my response to Lynda 1011 re: her splint causing tooth pain when she wakes up. I just posted it. I too had a bad reaction to a splint.
Sydney
Sydney
Nenu
07-12-2007, 03:43 PM
Thanks, I did read the info posted there. Just concerned that while I fully understand that splints can cause pain (my night one doesn't, the day one gives discomfort) the numbness in my lips is rather frightening to me. It's also very uncomfortable as you can imagine. So is losing 2 senses. I have also been experiencing vision problems, dizziness and as a result, trouble moving around.
Very surprised that to this point, I have not been recommended for an MRI or CAT scan. I expect that either will eventually come, but it has me wondering naturally if I have something beyond TMJ and the neuralgia condition suspected. Especially after hearing from someone who's dealt with patients and TMJ many times over that she has never heard of my symptoms I am experiencing.
Perhaps it's just a case that since I have the neuralgia combined with TMJ, it's causing odd symptoms like I am now experiencing.
Very surprised that to this point, I have not been recommended for an MRI or CAT scan. I expect that either will eventually come, but it has me wondering naturally if I have something beyond TMJ and the neuralgia condition suspected. Especially after hearing from someone who's dealt with patients and TMJ many times over that she has never heard of my symptoms I am experiencing.
Perhaps it's just a case that since I have the neuralgia combined with TMJ, it's causing odd symptoms like I am now experiencing.
Nenu
07-16-2007, 07:33 PM
Well, I am now being referred to a neurologist to have xrays completed and an evaluation. My dentist told me the numbness of the lips/burning tongue sensation is in a nerve unrelated to the TMJ treatment, so I guess it's time to find out if I have a growth, tumor, you name it. :(
Thelma-Louise
07-16-2007, 10:42 PM
What makes the dentist think the splint is not compressing a mandibular nerve? Does it ease up if you stop wearing the splint for a few days?
Nenu
07-17-2007, 12:32 AM
No. I stopped wearing it for a week. The numbness/burning tongue sensation is ever present. I am back to wearing the splint after they did the second adjustment today, and it feels a lot better than when I received it originally (doesn't feel tight for example).
I would rather see that they send me for scans to rule out anything that might be present. It's very difficult to pinpoint what may be the cause of this occurring now. Granted, this began with the splints, however it may have been a condition that was waiting to be triggered, and the splints did it.
I've tried to find more information about the symptoms I have online (I have the numbness, burning sensation ... mostly on the right side/tip of the tongue right side), a metallic taste in my mouth, huge toothache when I have very cold liquid in my right side of my mouth (swishing for example), some extremely sore spots in my shoulders/back. I feel kinda flushed a lot of the time, dry mouth (although the mouth is not actually dry, it's just the sensation of being dry almost). A lot of sources point towards things such as mercury poisoning from fillings. The 1 filling I have ever had is in that particular spot that is extremely painful.
The dentist took a look today at an xray and said he did not see thing wrong with my teeth. No signs of decay and such. It's not to rule out of course that a root may be affected in a tooth. It's still a possibility to look at after scans are completed. I'd rather know that nothing is in fact up there (no pun intended) and proceed from there than to let it possibly progress. If no growths and such are found, then I will go back to the tooth/gum/nerve endings to see what may be causing it.
I would rather see that they send me for scans to rule out anything that might be present. It's very difficult to pinpoint what may be the cause of this occurring now. Granted, this began with the splints, however it may have been a condition that was waiting to be triggered, and the splints did it.
I've tried to find more information about the symptoms I have online (I have the numbness, burning sensation ... mostly on the right side/tip of the tongue right side), a metallic taste in my mouth, huge toothache when I have very cold liquid in my right side of my mouth (swishing for example), some extremely sore spots in my shoulders/back. I feel kinda flushed a lot of the time, dry mouth (although the mouth is not actually dry, it's just the sensation of being dry almost). A lot of sources point towards things such as mercury poisoning from fillings. The 1 filling I have ever had is in that particular spot that is extremely painful.
The dentist took a look today at an xray and said he did not see thing wrong with my teeth. No signs of decay and such. It's not to rule out of course that a root may be affected in a tooth. It's still a possibility to look at after scans are completed. I'd rather know that nothing is in fact up there (no pun intended) and proceed from there than to let it possibly progress. If no growths and such are found, then I will go back to the tooth/gum/nerve endings to see what may be causing it.
Nenu
07-17-2007, 04:19 AM
You know, I am beginning to wonder a bit more about what may be going on now that I observed something else tonight....
As I said I had not been wearing the day/night splints for about a week. The numbness/burning tongue was still present during that time. Tonight however, I put in the night splint, and drifted off to sleep for a short while. When I woke up it was because of the intense burning sensation that was actually on the roof of my mouth and my tongue. Also, the lip numbness was 10 times worse than the past week.
I removed the device, brushed my teeth/tongue/roof of mouth vigorously. The numbness was almost gone with the toothpaste in my mouth, as was the burning sensation. Flossed and I can tell you, I still have that burning, but it's no where near the intensity of before. It's very faint in comparison to what I experienced putting the guard back in after not using it for a week.
Now I am wondering if perhaps I have an allergy to the mouth guard materials themselves. Not sure what they're crafted of, but the secretary had suggested that perhaps it was an allergy I had. Either that, or maybe after the adjustments completed today, although the day one is x10 better, the night one seems to fit worse than before. Perhaps this is causing the increase in the other symptoms?
I'm going to follow up with other specialists as well regardless, as my dentist believes I have trigeminal neuralgia as well (not sure if this is something that can for certain be diagnosed, but I have experienced the very symptoms). It's best to know what's going on in any case.
And I am going to look into some vitamins. B12 deficiency can result in burning mouth, so it's something to look into trying.
As I said I had not been wearing the day/night splints for about a week. The numbness/burning tongue was still present during that time. Tonight however, I put in the night splint, and drifted off to sleep for a short while. When I woke up it was because of the intense burning sensation that was actually on the roof of my mouth and my tongue. Also, the lip numbness was 10 times worse than the past week.
I removed the device, brushed my teeth/tongue/roof of mouth vigorously. The numbness was almost gone with the toothpaste in my mouth, as was the burning sensation. Flossed and I can tell you, I still have that burning, but it's no where near the intensity of before. It's very faint in comparison to what I experienced putting the guard back in after not using it for a week.
Now I am wondering if perhaps I have an allergy to the mouth guard materials themselves. Not sure what they're crafted of, but the secretary had suggested that perhaps it was an allergy I had. Either that, or maybe after the adjustments completed today, although the day one is x10 better, the night one seems to fit worse than before. Perhaps this is causing the increase in the other symptoms?
I'm going to follow up with other specialists as well regardless, as my dentist believes I have trigeminal neuralgia as well (not sure if this is something that can for certain be diagnosed, but I have experienced the very symptoms). It's best to know what's going on in any case.
And I am going to look into some vitamins. B12 deficiency can result in burning mouth, so it's something to look into trying.