I Need Help To See Where I Can Go From Here With Tmj!!
I have had braces and was suppose to have jaw repositioning surgery but my hmo kaiser denied the surgery. My orthodontist took off the braces even though he said I needed the surgery or I would end up in chronic pain with my jaw dislocated.
When the HMO sent me to the class for stress and a night guard I told them I needed surgery because my jaw was underdeveloped to prevent future pain, they said no you are to take this class and get the nightguard.
Well what ended up happening 7 years later my jaw dislocated with no warning, after lunch. I grabbed my face and was in horrible pain which did not go away until over a year taking drugs that didn't work, and was finally put on botox shots which worked since the jaw bones were causing severe facial muscle cramping. I think the only reason they gave me the botox shot because of the expense is that I ended up in the icu unit with toxicity from the drugs that didn't work, should have had the shots immediately when the jaw dislocated.
I finally found a doctor that fixed the dislocation, a Prostodontist but he couldn't fix the disc since it was torn when the dislocation happened.
Now I am wondering if my joint is centered with an orthotic and crowns can I have the disc replaced because the flare-ups are horrible. They gave me vicodin and motrin for that which I don't do that well with. At least I don't have facial cramping anymore and don't need the botox (which is very painful and lasts for 3 mo.).... Any suggestions???? This is such an isolating condition and people don't understand unless they take the time to research it.
I hope all my TMJ friends are doing well.
Kathy
California
Last edited by moderator2; 06-02-2008 at 05:40 AM.
Reason: posted contact info
Hey there brave girl... firstly congratulations .... you are doing really well.. when i read your thread i felt like crying .. that seriously would have been awful...but you are doing wonderful.. you have to stop with the botox ok because that masks pain not heals it unless only if you had a muscle problem but it sounds like you need your jaw disk fixed and also set back in place.. right?
Did your jaw make a loud crack noise that day after lunch?... with me my tmj gradually occured however yours seemed to happen in a matter of seconds... if you dont mind me asking . how old are you...?
The reason i ask is because i like to know what age suffer tmj most... have you asked your dentist about a splint.... .Your disk is damaged hey ?
I was told by my dentist if that occurs you can make a artificial one .. have you heard of that ? Dont lose hope ok , you will get better...!!
What are your prime symptoms at the moment...? Mine are earaches, i have a slipped jaw disk.. and am on splint therapy at the moment.. but let me know what symptoms you have because different symptoms require different splints ( i learnt that the hard way )
Get better , praying for you , hope to hear from you soon
p.s its a dream to visit where you live .. hows the weather there at the moment ..
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klpeach, I am in your position, and what we have sound really familiar. I have had tmjd for about 7 years, and it flared up after my mom tragically died 1 month before our wedding. Fast forward now, 7 years later, and I had a flare up in September, and it stayed, and the pain was in my left side jaw, teeth, face, and ear, then in October it went into the rest of my body, in my neck and shoulders, then hands and feet, then muscles, joints, and bones. I have traveled to many doctors, and surgeons, and had surgery scheduled, and then denied by my insurance company. As time has gone on, I never got treatment, I got worse, and instead of disc issues, I now have real bone issues too, I have been on medications to treat chronic pain, and muscle spasms, and then I finally found a dentist, who just opened a orofacial pain center, and treats just issues that cause chonic pain in the mouth, a lot of tmjd. I started seeing him in May, and he has promised he can help me, and help me get better. I am still skeptical, that a bite splint can fix my jaw that is dislocated on the right side, and severely worn down on the left side, and shows signs of osteoarthritis, but we will see. I have also been diagnosed with temporal tendonitis from him, and since seeing him, the migraines (what I have always called them) have gotten worse, and I sometimes are unable to use my left eye, the pain is so bad behind the eyeball. My new dentist, said that it could take up to a year to fix, but surgery might be an option still, and he would send me to Kentucky, he believes that is where the best surgeon is who treats issues with the tmj.
I am 31, and I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and myfascial pain syndrome along with tmjd. I never thought I would be battling chronic pain. It has hurt my marriage, as my husband tries to understand, but he wants his wife back. I have gained weight, and I do not have the energy I used to have. I am not able to jump up anymore and go do things, and never know how my day will go. How do you guys do it, and do you battle pain in other areas too?
Good luck, and keep writing, it helps to get it out, and talk to other people who are going thru the same thing.
you're doing well :) 
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