Newbie with questions - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

jafc · 06-11-2003, 01:49 PM

Wow am I glad I found this board! I have had TMJ for 14 years am now on my third appliance (this one made by a neuromuscular dentist). So far the NMD approach seems to be helping me but it's going to be a long road.

When my childhood dentist made my first nightguard, I wore it for a few years without any pain relief, but my teeth were protected. Then a little piece at one end broke off so I brought it back to him. He filed down the rough edge and gave it back to me to wear. Idiotically, I followed his instruction and wore it. Not too much time passed before the tooth no longer covered by the guard erupted out of my gum from the pressure of my clenching, causing my teeth to only touch in one place.

I changed dentists promptly and began seeing a TMJ specialist. She brought me to Tufts Dental School to see the head of the school for a consultation. They agreed that the only option was to file/shave down (don't know the technical term) my teeth to attempt to restore my bite. She made me a new nightguard, put me on elavil, and attempted to restore my bite.

She got me to a certain point with my bite but then it was time to try to conceive so I weaned myself off the elavil. Then DH and I moved to the burbs and I started with a new (non-TMJ) dentist. I figured that while TTC/pregnant/nursing, I couldn't be on medication so why pursue the TMJ now? Unfortunately, during these past 4.5 years, my bite worsened.

I had my new dentist check my nightguard at regular visits to make sure it fit properly. I was talking about my TMJ with him and he said that I should speak with a colleague who had recently come (or come back, I'm not sure) to his practice who specialized in a new, highly effective, drug-free TMJ treatment, NMD.

I made an appt. for a consultation. This (NM)dentist examined me first standing, then walking and basically diagnosed my chronic pain just from examining my posture and forward head position. He then examined my mouth -- teeth and tongue and showed me that I have ridges on my tongue b/c there isn't enough room in my lower jaw for it to rest so it pushes up against my palate and out toward my teeth. He asked if I have headaches (yes), tinnitus (yes), sore neck & upper back (yes), snoring (I think I have sleep apnea maybe caused by the tongue issue), nasal polyps (seems I do from a recent x-ray) and deviated septum, these last two from the tongue pressing up. I've never before had anyone be able to tell me so much about the state of my health so quickly. It was so overwhelming I almost started crying.

He also referred me to a chiropractor who performs a brutal myofacial release on my masseter and terragoid (sp?) muscles. It's excruciating but afterwards I feel loose and great. He also helps me with my other problem areas.

I've been in my "orthotic" for about 3 weeks and am having reduced jaw pain and clicking. After 2.5 or more months with the orthotic, I'll probably need braces to move my teeth back to where they're supposed to be. Not psyched about that -- I dislike wearing my orthotic 24/7, but not as much as I feared. I do take it out when I eat though (my NMD knows this). Yesterday I noticed that I have bitten two small holes through the acrylic. Message back from dentist said to keep wearing til my next appt. (9 days).

I'm curious -- has anyone been fully through NMD and could fill me and everyone in on the results? Also, has anyone ever had any success reducing clenching while sleeping? And how do you get it covered by insurance -- my dental ins. pays nothing for TMJ and health partially covers "treatment" but not the "appliance."

Thanks for making it through this long post!

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Judy

Arleen · 06-11-2003, 06:11 PM

Hi Judy:

Wedome to the board. There are great people and lots of useful information here.

I can't answer your questions, unfortunately, because I've just started with a TMJ dentist, but there are several people here following a NMD approach. If you don't get a response, have a look at the fairly recent posts, under a number of thread topics. Some of those detail what others have been through.

I appreciate all the detail in your post because I'm still exploring what is the best option for me, so it's always informative to hear what others are doing, or have been through.

Good luck, and take care,
Arleen

TiffanyAnn · 06-11-2003, 06:30 PM

Hi Judy,

, Welcome to the board:
What type of orthotic are you using now? I just saw a new orthodontist last week and he will be taking impressions to fit me with a occlusal orthotic device. On the insurance...some people on this board have gotten their insurance to pay for some of their TMJ treatment by their dentist listing their diagnosis as MPD rather than TMJ. Just a thought.
Tiffany

[This message has been edited by TiffanyAnn (edited 06-11-2003).]

CherylLynn24 · 06-11-2003, 08:36 PM

Hi Judy, and Welcome

I'm currently taking my son to a Neuromuscular Dentist. He seems to be by far, the best yet. He's got many of the same problems and symptoms as you. Hanging the head forward, neck pain, headaches, tinnitus, bite problems, etc...

Right now, I take him to a chiropractor twice a week, followed by a massotherapist. This has helped his forward head position and neck pain tremendously! He rarely complains of his neck hurting lately. With the NMD, he's waiting for his new splint to be made.

You might want to check out recent topics concerning NMD, there seems to be quite a few lately. Diane is also seeing one, and is experiencing relief!

As for insurance, we get my Son's filed under Myofacial Pain Dysfunction, and most of it gets paid for, due to MPD being a medical condition.

You'll learn a lot from everyone here. These are a great group of people. Take Care,
Cheryl

[This message has been edited by CherylLynn24 (edited 10-31-2003).]

jafc · 06-20-2003, 02:41 PM

Thanks for the warm welcome! I was fascinated to read everyone's posts when I first came across the board but then I messed up and posted a link with links to advertising so I lost my posting privileges for a week. I felt so cut-off even though I had just found all of you!

It has been about a month since I was fitted with a neuromuscular orthotic (forgot to ask him for technical name of it) and I saw my dentist today to have adjustments. My front teeth were touching the orthotic, causing some headaches from my nighttime grinding, and I had actually ground two holes through the acrylic.

He put me on the TENS unit for 45 minutes, made the adjustments and repairs and sent me on my merry way. Before I left, he told me that he was very pleased with the way my muscles were responding to the treatment so far. I definitely do feel better and am pleasantly surprised b/c I was sort of skeptical at first about the treatment even though intellectually I understood why it made sense.

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Judy

[This message has been edited by jafc (edited 06-20-2003).]