kvtip
07-21-2007, 09:28 PM
Hi all, I just recently started splint therapy and I'd like some input from you guys.
Were you in noticeably more pain when it first started, then began to ease up after time?
I know tooth soreness is a given at first but I'm feeling more widespread pain than usual and I'm in day 3 of treatment. Maybe it's just because I just started and my jaw is being pulled forward with the 24/7 splints and my night time one.
Anyway input is greatly appreciated :)
Were you in noticeably more pain when it first started, then began to ease up after time?
I know tooth soreness is a given at first but I'm feeling more widespread pain than usual and I'm in day 3 of treatment. Maybe it's just because I just started and my jaw is being pulled forward with the 24/7 splints and my night time one.
Anyway input is greatly appreciated :)
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123dietdrpepper
07-21-2007, 10:40 PM
Yes, my daughter had increased pain for 7 to 10 days then it began subsiding. You might try using warm compresses on your jaw and see if that helps. It really helped my daughter.
loudawg
07-22-2007, 01:06 AM
hey kvtkip,
I'm into my sixth week w/ the splint. When I first started I didn't have worse pain but different pains in addition to the normal ones. I had more sore muscles / aches in the jaw and upper back. I didn't really feel much of a difference w/ the splint until this past week - and while I'm optimistic for the treatment, my progress has been slow and up and down. Patience seems to be the key word w/ the splint.
-David
I'm into my sixth week w/ the splint. When I first started I didn't have worse pain but different pains in addition to the normal ones. I had more sore muscles / aches in the jaw and upper back. I didn't really feel much of a difference w/ the splint until this past week - and while I'm optimistic for the treatment, my progress has been slow and up and down. Patience seems to be the key word w/ the splint.
-David
kvtip
07-25-2007, 03:38 AM
Thanks for the replies, I've had alot of noticeable pain, possibly soreness but its def increased pain. Only 6 days into treatment so I'm gonna keep on with it, anyone else have similar experiences?
rosarymaker
07-25-2007, 11:21 AM
Hi, I have been in my new treatment with an orthotic for 3 months now and the pain has been horrible. Open bite so he will have alot to work with. Bad pain, and can't drive a good bit of the time. However he said I would be with him for a good while and when I get out of pain, maybe braces. No doctor in 18 years has said "when" I get out of pain. So even though my pain level has increased, the word -when- left me with such hope, I left his office happy. Good luck and keep us posted.
loudawg
07-25-2007, 10:48 PM
Forgot to say in the last post that you should call your dentist and ask them about the increased pain and schedule an adjustment. The bite / jaw position changes really quick and the pain could be do to that.
blahblah
07-26-2007, 10:54 AM
I began splint therapy back in March. I will preface this by saying I have had other 'splints' or guards made for me - but all they did was protect my teeth from when I might clench at night.
My first real splint was an upper appliance that was used to reposition my jaw in proper alignment. What is proper alignment? Where my jaw finds its most comfortable place. I also had a model made of my upper and lower teeth and my dentist puts both impressions on a stand so he can get a good idea of just how off my bite is. My bite has shifted significantly over the past year and I am unable to make my front teeth meet and on my left side most of my back teeth do not meet.
The relief in pain was almost immediate for me. Less headaches which took over my entire head and neck - pain in my temples etc. My frustration with chewing and getting my teeth to actually meet with continue until my TEETH are moved but you can't move your teeth until your jaw is in proper position - atleast that is my dentists' theory.
After 3 months in my upper, repositioning splint he felt it was time to transition me to a lower, stabilizing splint. I do not like this splint - it is heavy acrylic and rather bulky - it fills in all the gaps that are present when my teeth come together.
I have relapsed back to pain now - even though he has altered this appliance repeatedly. As i posted in an earlier post - the lower appliance is aggrivating one tooth that has caused me pain since this all began. And we are unsure if the tooth needs to have a root canal repeated, or if it has to come out. This tooth has a history of a hairline fracture.
The plan for me is once I am consistently pain free - THEN I get braces to shift my teeth in proper placement so I have a normal bite.
Good luck - it is a long, expensive process. I have my days where I get very frustrated and upset about all of it.
My first real splint was an upper appliance that was used to reposition my jaw in proper alignment. What is proper alignment? Where my jaw finds its most comfortable place. I also had a model made of my upper and lower teeth and my dentist puts both impressions on a stand so he can get a good idea of just how off my bite is. My bite has shifted significantly over the past year and I am unable to make my front teeth meet and on my left side most of my back teeth do not meet.
The relief in pain was almost immediate for me. Less headaches which took over my entire head and neck - pain in my temples etc. My frustration with chewing and getting my teeth to actually meet with continue until my TEETH are moved but you can't move your teeth until your jaw is in proper position - atleast that is my dentists' theory.
After 3 months in my upper, repositioning splint he felt it was time to transition me to a lower, stabilizing splint. I do not like this splint - it is heavy acrylic and rather bulky - it fills in all the gaps that are present when my teeth come together.
I have relapsed back to pain now - even though he has altered this appliance repeatedly. As i posted in an earlier post - the lower appliance is aggrivating one tooth that has caused me pain since this all began. And we are unsure if the tooth needs to have a root canal repeated, or if it has to come out. This tooth has a history of a hairline fracture.
The plan for me is once I am consistently pain free - THEN I get braces to shift my teeth in proper placement so I have a normal bite.
Good luck - it is a long, expensive process. I have my days where I get very frustrated and upset about all of it.
pipdog
08-31-2007, 04:36 AM
I just started wearing a lower splint three days ago and have a MOTHER of a pain behind/around my left eye, the side all the TMJ/muscle problems are. It actually has got worse since wearing the splint or more 'fixed', before it used to come and go.
On the up side the soreness in the temporalis and masseter muscles has reduced and my face looks less tense.
But is this getting worse before it gets better part of splint therapy?
On the up side the soreness in the temporalis and masseter muscles has reduced and my face looks less tense.
But is this getting worse before it gets better part of splint therapy?
jim1971
08-31-2007, 12:44 PM
I would give it another month. When i first started wearing mine - i had a lot of soreness in my masseters that wasnt there before. Over time though, that went away and the pain became more localized again in my temporalis muscle and tmj. At that point i was taking 2 day pro per day and it didnt seem to work on my late afternoon flairups. Now, it seems to be starting to work and i experience tightness more and less pain. Its difficult to see over the short term, but for me looking back i am very gradually having a reduction in symptoms. I still take the daypro - but now they are working a lot better than they were when i first started taking them about 3+ weeks ago. Early on it is normal for your symptoms to change due to your jaw being shifted. If you are in question though about your symptoms call your tmj doc.
J
J
pipdog
09-04-2007, 05:24 AM
Jim thanks for the feedback and glad to hear you are experiencing an improvement.
Almost a week into the repositioning splint now and I can feel a process is underway,hard to put in words, its like body has realised that the splint is there and the two are locked in battle.
The horrible eye pain is gone now the masseter area is really sore but the soreness is preferable to the pain around the eye any day.
I am having another adjustment tomorrow as the bite continues to settle over the initial period. I'm trying not to obcess and focus on work which helps a lot
Best of luck to everyone here!
Almost a week into the repositioning splint now and I can feel a process is underway,hard to put in words, its like body has realised that the splint is there and the two are locked in battle.
The horrible eye pain is gone now the masseter area is really sore but the soreness is preferable to the pain around the eye any day.
I am having another adjustment tomorrow as the bite continues to settle over the initial period. I'm trying not to obcess and focus on work which helps a lot
Best of luck to everyone here!