I hope you don't mind me posting another question. I guess I am finally getting up the nerve to post.
I am currently not working. I would love to go back to school or work part-time if I can get my symptoms under control. I am fortunate that my husband can support me financially at this time. Currently, I still have pain, and I am afraid any additional stress would just make everything worse. I have a lot of bad anxiety/depression. The medication I was on was just making my grinding worse, so I am not taking my old medication. I have tried several different medications with the same results of more grinding/clenching.
I was wondering if any of you are able to function in your job with your TMJ? Do you think the stess of a job makes your TMJ worse? I am finding myself isolated from life and wondering if I should continue to put my life on hold due to my TMJ.
Thanks.
[This message has been edited by Michelle W (edited 09-22-2003).]
I don't know your history with tmj, but, are you going for treatment?
Based on my personal experience I would say that keeping busy and going to work will help you take your mind off of tmj however, based on my personal experience, you will get bad days, depends on your stress level at your job. If you have a stressful job, maybe switching to a less stress ful job might help. I
had a lot of problems with my supervisor understanding my tmj problems and he was very nasty about it. But I won't let that get me down !!!!
i have had to alter my life to accomodate the pain. instead of going to "normal" university, i have been doing it by distance education [online] even tho i live in the city where the university is located. my pain limits me in how much i can read and how much work i can do in one sitting, so i really have to pace myself and hope i dont feel too badly.
also, im currently looking for a part-time job, but it's proving to be extremely difficult because i need something that doesnt include heavy lifting or talking.
im pretty scared of what type of career i'll end up having once im done university, since i cant deal with people.
Pinkypriscilla I had TMJ bilateral arthroplasty done in March 2003. My disc were displaced, so the surgeon put them back in place and pinned them with titanium screws. I could not eat on my right side at all most of 2002. I underwent many splint adjustments last year. Eventually, my TMJ dentist recommended a MRI and referred me to my surgeon. I wear my splint 24/7 since a couple of weeks after surgery. I did the whole PT, liquid diet, soft diet for a couple of months. Currently, I am having splint adjustments with my orthodontist, but my progress is going very slow. My surgeon tells me I am having muscle spasms. I did pretty good for a couple months after my surgery but then something obviously changed. I am trying to sort it all out. It is hard to know what to do with TMJ. You never know what will irritate it. I am glad to hear that you are currently able to work.
I have not been able to work for over 6 months as well. I could deal with the TMJ pain, but when the ear ringing and dizziness set in, with the severe clicking and migranes I just couldn't handle even talking to my family. I am at the point where I mostly only talk to people by phone, it hurts too much to use expresssion. And locking for sometimes 6 hours is scary. I go to doctors everyday almost (ear, head, TMJ...) and have been to the ER a few times. My work doesn't care, which I guess I can understand. Im not productive, I can't concentrate on anything, Im a space zombie. Anyway, I applied for the disability insurance though my work. The disability co seems to think TMJ is a joke you should hear the things their "doctors" say to me. I understand your position. I wish I could find a job that required little talking and no lifting.
carfan-I think it is awful that the doctors are giving you such a hard time with your disability insurance. I don't understand why there is such discrimination when it comes to TMJD. I don't think the medical profession really understand the problem, so they behave in a negative way.
I am hoping everything will change in the future, but maybe I am dreaming.
Hi Michelle:
I saw that you live in Joplin Mo. I live right near there too. I saw that you had surgery. Did Dr. Scott Bolding do your surgery? Also, you said you are being treated by your orthodontist, I am also being treated by an orthodontist in Joplin for my TMJ so I was wondering who your orthodontist is?
Thanks,
Tiffany
Yes it is outrageous that doctors don't care to learn about this disorder. Even my own doctors tell me, "I think your ear & jaw problems may be coming from depression." Don't I wish! At least then someone might take me seriously and have a solution. Today I had to call my neruo to see if there was a good gen. practice doctor that understood TMJd, she said to be honest, she doesn't know of one because she gave up on trying to convince them of the severaity of TMJd symptoms years ago.
It boggles my mind what health and disability insurance companies will and won't cover. Sadly it seems like its all about 'working the system' and codes right.
Oops Michelle, forgot to mention I saw your post about your insurance co saying TMJd is dental, I am not sure but I think there have been some court cases decided in favor of the TMJ patients that TMJ is infact medical, you may want to check with your state, Im not sure where, maybe the local Bar can point you in the right direction.
This is unbelievable. Yes, Dr. Bolding did my surgery in March of 2003. I am sure we are going to the same orthodontist, because he only recommended one to me in Joplin. I am seeing Dr. LaFerla. I have heard he is good. I have yet to start braces at this time. I would love to hear how you are progressing and anything else you would care to share.
Hi Michelle:
OMG, isn't this a small world. I have refused to have surgery but Dr. Bolding's name keeps coming up as surgeon. That man has made millions off TMJ surgeries in this area. I have a friend who had both TMJ done a year or so ago. It cost her like $14,000. She had to take a loan out to pay it. And what's even more amazing is that I also see Dr. LaFerla. He is the best. He has done wonders for me. He is an excellent orthodontist and a really good human being. This is just too cool. Do you have an upper or lower splint. Mine is a lower. I'm in an occlusal orthotic device. What splint are you in? Dr. LaFerla told me that I have to be stable and without symptoms for at least 6 months before he will do braces. Is this what he told you also?
Tiffany
Yes, I am really surprised we go to the same orthodontist. Huh, I can hardly believe it. I guess you never know who you will run into online. You know I am not exactly sure what kind of splint I am wearing. I will ask Dr. LaFerla today. It is an upper splint, and it is hard plastic. I didn't realize there are different kinds of splints until I came to this board. I wore one similar to this for a couple of years only at night. I had to have a new one made after surgery. My old broke off in the back probably due to so many splint adjustments.
Yes, the surgery was very expensive. My surgery was as expensive as your friend's surgery. I also had to take out a loan. My hubby and I took out a home equity loan to pay for it. It really bites to be honest. I had such a hard time trying to decide last year whether or not to have the surgery. I was so scared, and I didn't find this web site until after surgery.
My braces are also going to be expensive, but I am going to pay them out.
You mentioned your friend had surgery last year. How is she doing? Does she feel she is any better off? I would love to know how she is progressing as I have no one to compare my situation with at this time.
I mentioned earlier that I had the bilateral arthroplasty. The surgeon put my disc back in place and pinned them with the titanium rod/screw device. I did have splint adjustments most of last year, so I feel like my dentist worked with me.
Have you actually seen Dr. Bolding? If so how did you feel your consult went?
You mentioned the braces with Dr. LaFerla. I am six months post op. My bite is still changing some. He feels it is due to my muscles continuing to relax. Basically, he wants me to be symptom free or minimal symptoms for a couple of months prior to starting the braces, but I haven't gotten that far. I also read in a book by an expert that you should not start moving the teeth around until you are almost symptoms free.
I think I have been seeing doctor LaFerla for about four months. I am not due for a splint adjustment for two to three more weeks, but I am going in today. I have a worn spot on the right side with a little hole. I want him to check it out. Plus I am having some spasm on the left side while eating. TMJD is such a complicated syndrome.
Did I answer all your questions? I would love to hear more about your situation and your friend's experience since surgery.
I will check back several times today to see if you are able to post. I am currently not working outside of my home.
Hi Michelle:
I was thinking the same thing about being online and never knowing who you might meet. I mean, Joplin isn't all that big of a community. Anyway, I think it's pretty cool to have run into at least one other who lives in my area. You could be in the same splint I am in. Before he made my splint I asked him if it was possible to make a lower splint rather than an upper splint because I've had both over time but I've learned that the lower splint is so much easier to speak with. He said either one was fine so he made me a lower splint. Mine is also hard plastic and it has two little pieces of wire in it with like little balls on the end. He said these help hold the splint in place and he has found these work better with adults. I'm not sure if he does that only on the lower splints though. Does your also have these in it? I guess it's a good thing that I am so hard headed. Several dentists have suggested surgery to me but I have always been very determined not to allow surgery on my jaws. I've had other surgeries in my lifetime and what I learned from those is this, once surgery is done on any joint or any part of the body that joint is never the same again. I was just too afraid to allow surgery to be done on my jaws. The surgery you had is what has been suggested to me. My left side is the only side that is bad. I had an MRI done and the left disc is displaced.
My friend who has surgery done by Dr. Bolden is doing pretty well now. She doesn't live close by anymore so I don't talk to her as often as I used to but I did run into her mom in the store last week and she said she's doing well. She is supposed to be down this coming weekend. If I see her, which I sure hope I will, I'll ask her about her surgery and progress and let you know what she says ok.
I have not seen Dr. Bolding myself. The reason I didn't see him is this, when I was searching for someone to treat my TMJ I kept hearing Dr. Bolding's name. When I called the office in Joplin I discovered that Dr. Bolding does not work out of that office daily. He comes down here once a week or every two weeks. I was interested in ONLY splint therapy. I had no interest in surgery at all. The receptionist told me that Dr. Bolding sees you and then refers you to a local dentist to do the splint surgery and charges you $125.00 for that referral. I felt like that was ripping me off because I have the ability to call around to local dentists to treat me with splints. Dr. Bolding would not be doing the actual splint therapy, he would only get involved when the high dollars came into play, $urgery$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. That upset me alot so I started making calls to the dentists locally and several mentioned Dr. LaFerla. In fact his name was one of the names Dr. Bolding's office mentioned. The one name they kept mentioning was Dr. Detar but he had treated me a few years before and I felt his care lacked a great deal and he is very expensive so I was not interested in investing more money with him. So, no I never met with Dr. Bolding.
What Dr. LaFerla said about braces to me was that he wants his TMJ patients to be six months symptom free before he will put them in braces. I got my splint about 2 months ago. I have done extremely well with it until last week I had a slight setback. My muscles got very tight and I was in alot of pain. I went in to see Dr. LaFerla and he did an adjustment and told me he will see me this coming Thursday. I am doing much better already. I am back to about the same place I was before the setback. I think what caused the setback for me was I had been under extreme stress for a week or two and I think I just tightened up all over. So, I think I will be starting all over on the 6 months countdown but that's ok with me. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Boy, you said it, TMJ is extremely complicated and frusrtating too. What I think is most frustrating is that there are no guidelines for treatment so it seems each are treating the way they think is best.
Here is my story. I've had TMJ for about 23 years. It began right after having my braces removed. I put up with it for many years and had been through several different types of splints with no success. About 3 years ago I began having much more pain and began looking for treatment once again. I had not had much success in finding anyone to treat me until finding Dr. LaFerla. I have been in an upper splint, an NTI, a lower night guard type splint and now this occlusal orthotic device. I have had great success with this splint. Since beginning with this splint I have gotten rid of the killer headaches I used to have every single day. These headaches were so bad I felt like if I ran as fast as I could and rammed my head into a brick wall it couldn't hurt worse. My jaw has not locked up since beginning with this splint. Only those few days last week did I have much popping in the joint. I've had very little pain since starting with this splint. I feel that this splint treatment is a success. Sorry this is so long. Anything else I didn't cover please ask and I will write about it.
Tiffany
Hi Michelle:
I was thinking the same thing about being online and never knowing who you might meet. I mean, Joplin isn't all that big of a community. Anyway, I think it's pretty cool to have run into at least one other who lives in my area. You could be in the same splint I am in. Before he made my splint I asked him if it was possible to make a lower splint rather than an upper splint because I've had both over time but I've learned that the lower splint is so much easier to speak with. He said either one was fine so he made me a lower splint. Mine is also hard plastic and it has two little pieces of wire in it with like little balls on the end. He said these help hold the splint in place and he has found these work better with adults. I'm not sure if he does that only on the lower splints though. Does your also have these in it? I guess it's a good thing that I am so hard headed. Several dentists have suggested surgery to me but I have always been very determined not to allow surgery on my jaws. I've had other surgeries in my lifetime and what I learned from those is this, once surgery is done on any joint or any part of the body that joint is never the same again. I was just too afraid to allow surgery to be done on my jaws. The surgery you had is what has been suggested to me. My left side is the only side that is bad. I had an MRI done and the left disc is displaced.
My friend who has surgery done by Dr. Bolden is doing pretty well now. She doesn't live close by anymore so I don't talk to her as often as I used to but I did run into her mom in the store last week and she said she's doing well. She is supposed to be down this coming weekend. If I see her, which I sure hope I will, I'll ask her about her surgery and progress and let you know what she says ok.
I have not seen Dr. Bolding myself. The reason I didn't see him is this, when I was searching for someone to treat my TMJ I kept hearing Dr. Bolding's name. When I called the office in Joplin I discovered that Dr. Bolding does not work out of that office daily. He comes down here once a week or every two weeks. I was interested in ONLY splint therapy. I had no interest in surgery at all. The receptionist told me that Dr. Bolding sees you and then refers you to a local dentist to do the splint surgery and charges you $125.00 for that referral. I felt like that was ripping me off because I have the ability to call around to local dentists to treat me with splints. Dr. Bolding would not be doing the actual splint therapy, he would only get involved when the high dollars came into play, $urgery$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. That upset me alot so I started making calls to the dentists locally and several mentioned Dr. LaFerla. In fact his name was one of the names Dr. Bolding's office mentioned. The one name they kept mentioning was Dr. Detar but he had treated me a few years before and I felt his care lacked a great deal and he is very expensive so I was not interested in investing more money with him. So, no I never met with Dr. Bolding.
What Dr. LaFerla said about braces to me was that he wants his TMJ patients to be six months symptom free before he will put them in braces. I got my splint about 2 months ago. I have done extremely well with it until last week I had a slight setback. My muscles got very tight and I was in alot of pain. I went in to see Dr. LaFerla and he did an adjustment and told me he will see me this coming Thursday. I am doing much better already. I am back to about the same place I was before the setback. I think what caused the setback for me was I had been under extreme stress for a week or two and I think I just tightened up all over. So, I think I will be starting all over on the 6 months countdown but that's ok with me. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Boy, you said it, TMJ is extremely complicated and frusrtating too. What I think is most frustrating is that there are no guidelines for treatment so it seems each are treating the way they think is best.
Here is my story. I've had TMJ for about 23 years. It began right after having my braces removed. I put up with it for many years and had been through several different types of splints with no success. About 3 years ago I began having much more pain and began looking for treatment once again. I had not had much success in finding anyone to treat me until finding Dr. LaFerla. I have been in an upper splint, an NTI, a lower night guard type splint and now this occlusal orthotic device. I have had great success with this splint. Since beginning with this splint I have gotten rid of the killer headaches I used to have every single day. These headaches were so bad I felt like if I ran as fast as I could and rammed my head into a brick wall it couldn't hurt worse. My jaw has not locked up since beginning with this splint. Only those few days last week did I have much popping in the joint. I've had very little pain since starting with this splint. I feel that this splint treatment is a success. Sorry this is so long. Anything else I didn't cover please ask and I will write about it.
Tiffany
I was glad to see another post from you. Yes, Joplin is not very big at all, and I think it is pretty neat we ran into each other. I live right outside of Joplin in a subdivision, but I am in Carl Juction School District. The internet gets a bad rap much of the time, but I have found it to be a godsend.
It is really good to hear you are doing so well with the splint therapy. I agree it is a much more conservative approach. I find it very disturbing that anyone would mention surgery to you before trying splint therapy. A large percentage of the population has displaced disc and are symptom free. I read that fact in several different places such as books and the internet. I believe that one should only have surgery if they are in major pain and all conservative treamtent has been tried. I think you are wise.
I think if anyone can help you with your TMJ, it will indeed be Dr. LaFerla. Dr. Bolding recommended only him to me for orthodontic work. He listed off all La Ferla's credentials, and told me that he had trained with this person and that. I can't remember the individual's names, but they obviously are someone in the world of denistry.
You mentioned Dr. DeTar. I met one of his dental hygienist at an event. I was needing a root canal and waiting to get into see Dr. Patterson. He was really booked up for about two to three months. At the time Dr. Patterson, who was an endodontist, was still alive. He was such a nice person. You might of heard of him. He had performed one of my previous root canals with great success. Dr.DeTar's hygienist told me that he performed root canals with much success. I couldn't get into see Dr. Patterson, so I went on her recommendation. He broke a file off in my tooth during the procedure. The tooth abcessed. He ended up pulling the tooth. I found out later I might of been able to save the tooth if he had sent me to a specilist, who could try to remove the file. It was an option other than pulling the tooth. I understand that complications arise during procedures, and they are no guarantees. My complaint is that he should of given me the option of referring me to someone who could of removed the file. I was not given any options. Plus, he charged me for the root canal and to pull the tooth. Now, I am wiser.
Well, I started having major problems after he pulled the tooth, which is not uncommon according to Dr. Bolding. I started grinding my teeth and having neck and shoulder pain. I got a splint from Dr. Lais and had been wearing it for a few years. I replaced the tooth with an implant at a price, which failed due to the grinding. I fractured the implant below the gum line. I became very dislocated on the right side where the tooth was pulled. I think this is bascially due to losing that right premolar. I did well with the splint for a couple of years. It controlled my symptoms, but the damage was already done. I ended up most of last year not being able to chew on my right side. My general dentist trying adjusting the splint every couple of weeks most of last year. I just kept having more and more pain with facial muscle spasms on that right side despite splint adjustments.
By the time I saw Dr. Bolding he told me I was actually chewing on the ligament. It was so stretched out. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would never eat on my right side ever again without surgery. I did not want to live that way. I knew it was not going to get better, and I had been in splint therapy for three years prior to major pain. I couldn't figure out why I got worse despite wearing the splint. Dr. Bolding told me that I was already dislocated before I started wearing the splint. I guess it just got worse.
Anyway, I had the surgery in March 2003. It was rough, but I am sure your friend told you all about the physical therapy, two weeks of liquid diet, more than a month of soft diet. I went ahead and had both sides done since I was dislocated on the left side. I was having minor symptoms on that side. I figured I would end up having to have it done sooner or later. My husband and Dr. Bolding encouraged me to go ahead and have both sides done. I am now able to eat on my left side.
I wear a splint just like yours but mine is on the top. It has the wires with the little balls just like yours. This splint fits much better than the one my general dentist made, who is Dr. Lais. I really like him. I am happy with the new splint LaFerla made. You are correct; it is much harder to talk with an upper splint. I have some trouble articulating, and I can see it in other people's face when they do not understand me. They get a certain facial expression. It is embarrassing for me. I try not to let it bother me too much.
You mentioned one office kept mentioning Dr. DeTar. Did I understand you correctly that Bolding's office was recommending DeTar to you? I think that is what you were telling me. I find that odd for many reasons.
You are correct that Dr. Bolding only comes here once a month. The majority of the time I have went to Fayette***** to see him. I have only seen him once in Joplin, but I plan to see him there in October. The trip to his office in Fayette***** is not bad at all with the new highway. It is still not as convenient as the Joplin office but much better than a trip to KC, Tulsa or St. Louis.
I still have to replace the tooth that is missing. Dr. LaFerla, Lais and Bolding are encouraging me to replace it with a much larger implant. The tooth (premolar) will not be larger, but the metal body holding it beneath the gumline will be much larger than the original implant I had intially. The hold back is that I will have to have a bone graft done to build up the bone. I am dreading it, and I need to read up on possible complications of bone grafting. I think maybe Cymy Sue has had one? I need to ask her.
I am very glad to hear your friend is doing so well. Yes, I would love to hear how far post op she is and how she is progressing.
You thought your reply was long. I think mine is longer. I would really like to hear how you are also doing with your splint therapy, and how you progress with your treatment with Dr. LaFerla. I was kidding him the other day. I told him he must love a challenge since he sees TMJ patients. The dental assistant told me their office does see a lot of TMJ patients. She said, "They are a challenge." LOL I hope to hear from you again. Thanks for the reply.
Hi Michelle:
I'm so glad you wrote again.I agree about the internet getting a bad wrap. It has also been a Godsend to me. There were times I would not survived had it not been for the people on this list and their encouragement. And it just seems so cool to have run into someone on this list who lives right nearby and who has seen and does see the same dentists I have seen or do see. You know, I did alot of research on TMJ myself and found what you said that there is alot of people who have TMJ but never have any symptoms and live with it all their lives. I wish I had been one of those people
My friend who had surgery done by Dr. Bolding also had her surgery done in Fayette*****. She called me not long after she had her surgery and she was in such awful agony. She couldn't eat and it hurt her to put a spoon in her mouth. She was crying and in so much pain. I gave her some suggestions on how she might be able to get a little something in her system. I suggested trying a baby spoon because they are so small and they are covered with that plastic and trying so jello or yogurt which helped her.
I've heard good things about Dr. Patterson from others in the area. It always seems the good ones are the ones to go. I'm sorry to hear about your negative experience with Dr. DeTar. Dr. DeTar was my dentist for about 9 years or so. One of my crowns fell off and I went in for him to re-cement it on. When he put it back on I told him it didn't feel right but he said it was fine. The same crown fell off about a month or so later and it was during the Christmas holiday time. Well Dr. DeTar was out of the office for 2 weeks and he does not have an answering service who answers if he is out and he did not leave the name of any of his collegues who were taking his patients while he was gone. They expected you to just leave a message on the answering machine and live with whatever problem you had until he got back. That really hacked me off so I started calling my friends and asking them what dentist they see. One of my friends said she sees Dr. Short and that he is very good and very gentle so I called his office. They were in the office and got me right in. When he saw the crown he said that the crown had alot of cement on it. I told him the story about DeTar and how I told him the crown didn't feel right when he put it back on. Well it turns out that when DeTar put the crown back on he did not scrape the cement out before re applying it and he put it in backwards. All this plus the fact that DeTar charges about double to triple what other dentists in the area charge. So, when Dr. Short told me that I asked him if he would take me as a patient. He said yes and I told him to send for my records. Dr. Short made me a night guard which I used for about 3 years. It wasn't a very good splint but at least it protected my teeth from being ground down by all the grinding I do at night. Dr. Bolding's office first gave me the name of DeTar as one they refer people to for splint therapy. I told them forget it, I can't stand the man. Then they mentioned Dr. LaFerla as someone they work with "after" surgery for splints and braces. I spoke with my dentists office and they also gave me Dr. LaFerla's name so I called and made an appointment with him. I have never been sorry I did. He's a great orthodnotist plus he's a caring person who is not in it for every buck he can squeeze you out of. I'm so sorry that you went through so much and ended up losing your tooth. If that had happened to me I would have been irate and would have given him more of my mind than I can spare. You definately should have been given choices. He's a real egotistical jerk!!
When I first began seeing Dr. LaFerla I was in so much pain I could hardly function. I had such awful headaches EVERY DAY that I just wanted to die. My jaw locked up all the time. I had blurry vision, dizziness so bad I often couldn't even drive safely, my jaw clicked and popped EVERY time I opened my mouth. Bottom line, I was on the verge of suicide. When I phoned Dr. LaFerla's office I was so upset and crying and his staff was so kind and helpful with me. I told them all that I had done looking for help and that I was ready to kill myself and they told me he could help me and that the first appointment was free so don't do anything until my appointment because they knew he could help me. Since beginning treatment I have not had the killer headaches, I have not had such bad dizzy spells, my vision is not so blurry and my jaw does not click and pop every time I open my mouth. I now have hope that I can get my life back and get out of pain.
Sorry, this post has gotten long too. But it's so exciting to be able to discuss with somone who actually knows these people. It's just so cool.
Tiffany
You mentioned in an earlier post that you have already had braces. I was curious if your previous treatment was not correct. Did the first orthodontist not move your teeth correctly or have your teeth moved too much over the years? Who did your first set of braces? I guess I am curious to hear if it is anyone I know, and if it was the cause of your TMJ. I have heard braces can cause TMJ.
My husband's hairdresser says her headgear caused her to have TMJ. Her mouth is very small, and her mouth deviates to the side when she talks. She gets massage therapy on a regular basis, which helps her. She also has not heard anything good about surgery. Did you have to wear head gear? I don't know if people have to wear it anymore or not. My daughter did not. She wears her retainers every night. She is excellent about it.
My symptoms have been minimal the past couple of days. I am so thankful. It has been wonderful. I hope it continues.
Do you grind your teeth at night or clench them? I didn't know if this was aggravating your TMJ. I know that I definitely clench my teeth, and I think I must also grind them. I just think my husband cannot hear me since I wear the splint now. I sure wish they made a medication, which would alleviate this problem. I have read that Elavil and Deseyrl decrease this problem in some people. I am currently trying the Elavil.
Do you still see Dr. Short? I do not think I know anything about him. I still see Dr. Lais. He will probably do my next implant. Dr. Bolding will most likely do my bone graft. I plan on seeing LaFerla indefinitely for future splints and adjustments even after I am done with braces. I will let him handle that issue of my treatement since I have such a complicated case.
What do you do for fun in Joplin? I like the area, because I was born and raised in this area. I wish there was more to do in the area, but I manage to keep busy. I wish there were more stores out at the NorthPark Mall and more concerts.
Well, it is getting late. I better get some sleep. I will talk with you soon.
Hi Michelle:
I had braces as a teenager and I believe the problem was the manner in which they did braces at that time. Back then they pulled four teeth and shoved the rest of the teeth back to close those left by the pulled teeth. I was told that this manner of doing braces has cause ALOT of cases of TMJ. I also have a very small mouth inside and I think that contributes to the problem. Yes, I did wear headgear when I had braces. My first braces were done in California where I grew up. I would love to get massage therapy too but I can't afford it. I have a friend who lives in Florida who is a massage therapist, whenever I go visit her she always gives me messages. It's great.
I don't think that I'm a clencher but I am definately a grinder. I also wish there was some type of medication to help us with this and because it's done when we are sleeping we really have no way to have control over it.
I do still see Dr. Short. He's a good dentist and he is very gentle when he works on you which I can definately appreciate. I've heard great things about Dr. Lais as well though. Several of my friends see him and they all like him alot.
Fun in Joplin, well there isn't a great deal to do here really but I am kind of a home body. I enjoy my home and doing stuff at home. I am big into crafts and stuff like that which fills alot of time. I also have several pets which take up alot of my time and I enjoy them immensely. I enjoy going to Northpark Mall sometimes too. I always take my niece to the mall when she comes to visit and that is an all day event. And I do mean ALL DAY.
I was at Dr. LaFerla's today and was telling the tech about meeting you on this list. She asked what your name is and I told her we are not allowed to exchange names and such on this list but I told her how excited I was to find another person who lives around here. I'm doing much better. I don't have to see him until Nov. I'm thankful for that.
Tiffany
Wow, you don't have to see Dr. LaFerla until November. That is neat. I see him October 10, which is just a couple of weeks away. He wanted me to kept my next appointment instead of cancelling it.
I don't know any of the techs names at Dr. Laferla's office. I just know Erma and Tiffany at the front desk. I have only been going there for three months.
I am excited that you are doing so well. That is wonderful. Did your bite change much? My bite did not change too much since my last visit. I had a molar that was sensitive, and he told me that I was hiting a too hard on that area. I am amazed how a tooth can be so sensitive just because your bite is hitting too hard on that area.
I am glad you are able to do crafts and keep your mind off your TMJ. I use to sew a little, but I haven't done much here lately since my surgery. I also stay home a lot. I haven't worked for the past few years. My daugther keeps me busy, but she is in high school and is needing me less and less. I will soon be out of a job.
Have you found any other bulletin boards or newsgroups that talk about TMJ? My husband was telling me he thought maybe there was a newsgroup. I have not checked into it yet.
You mentioned you have had other splints made such as the NTI. What do you think is so different about this splint? I wondered if you think maybe this one was made more correctly, which would mean Dr. LaFerla knows what he is doing. I was just thinking about how well you have done and what might be different about this splint.
Are you able to work with your TMJ? 
You definately should have been given choices. He's a real egotistical jerk!!
