Cycle of bitesplints and braces - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

MSUGuy02 · 06-28-2004, 08:45 PM

Hi Everyone,

I posted about a problem between my old orthodontist and my new specialist. The main point that my ortho told me was that since I had a repositioning splint, it would change my bite and I would end up having to go through braces again to fix it. He said that it would be this long cycle and that my new specialist is just going to prolong this process, etc.

That kind of explains why I feel like I'm REALLY out of it. I'm meeting with 2 more people this next week to see... I just don't know anymore.

Thanks again for the support and help everyone has offered. This board is amazing!

Take Care,
Andy

beach_tiglet · 06-29-2004, 06:06 AM

If your tmj is acting up because your jaw is out of alignment, and you are in a jaw repositioning splint, your teeth may not line up after the repositioning. At least that is my understanding. However, it is your ortho who messed up by treating you first without treating the TMJ problem, not the other way around. I have been told that after the repostioning splint that braces are a possibility, but that you don't know for certain until after that phase of treatment is complete. The specialist gave me a list of what could happen after the splint, of course I have misplaced it somewhere. I'm sure yours will discuss it with you though. You are going to be miserable until the jaw problem is taken care of, even if your teeth are perfectly straight...your gut instinct about the doctors is correct, in my opinion. Good luck... hang in there and keep us posted.

Dana

MSUGuy02 · 06-29-2004, 11:46 AM

Thanks Heidi! It IS hard to go around and seek different opinions once you think you've found one. I'm seeing another specialist the 12th, and I guess we'll go from there! How's your treatment going?

Andy

Katie G · 06-30-2004, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSUGuy02

Hi Everyone,

I posted about a problem between my old orthodontist and my new specialist. The main point that my ortho told me was that since I had a repositioning splint, it would change my bite and I would end up having to go through braces again to fix it. He said that it would be this long cycle and that my new specialist is just going to prolong this process, etc.

That kind of explains why I feel like I'm REALLY out of it. I'm meeting with 2 more people this next week to see... I just don't know anymore.

Thanks again for the support and help everyone has offered. This board is amazing!

Take Care,
Andy

Hi Andy. Keep us posted on how your appointments turn out. I hope you find the right answers soon. I've also heard that people who had braces before their TMD was treated actually ended up worse off, and needed braces again after a repositioning splint was applied. According to my ortho, braces are for aligning the teeth, but if the jaw problems are not diagnosed and treated first, braces are a BIG waste of time & money and may mess up the jaw even more.

I hope somebody down there where you live finds the right treatment for you. I have to trust my ortho because he's really the only one in central Michigan who treats TMD. So far, he hasn't steered me wrong, and I know he would be willing for me to seek another medical opinion if I questioned anything he was doing. At least, I hope all this splint therapy and repositioning stuff works for me. I just wish I knew what Phase II was going to be, but my ortho is not committing to an answer yet, but he tends to talk mostly about "surgery." (whatever that means!)

Good luck to you,
Katie G