flattening of the joint? - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

sufferingsue · 01-16-2009, 07:46 PM

I saw the specialist on Tuesday and it is all a blur!!

The thing that keeps running over and over in my mind is that both my jaw joints are flat? I did not understand what he said to me and I do not know what this means to my recovery or lack thereof!!!

It is seriously freaking me out to think that I have bone loss, that I can never get back. I do remember that he said it was arthritis but that it was directly caused by the TMD. But shouldn't he have given me medicine for arthritis or told me to a GP for some???

He gave me a scrip for muscle relaxers and naproxen and told me to get PT and sent me on my way.....................

I have MORE questions than before the visit and felt like I was irritating him when I was trying to understand and ask questions. He said it was muscular after about 2 minutes of talking to me and kept cutting me off mid-sentence when I was trying to get clarification!!

I don't know anymore.......Please if anyone understands what causes the flattening of the bone and what effects that will have on my recover I would be forever grateful for your input!!!

Sue

StillHope · 01-16-2009, 08:29 PM

You mean flattening of the condyles in TMJ? This happens when the disk wears out either partially or completely. I have this on one side too and I was also told that it's not too bad and that my TMJ symptoms are all muscular and are caused by the unstable dysfunctional bite. (In some sense I don't have any bite at this point).

Muscular basically means that your bite is likely to be unstable or off and that the jaw is not permitted by something (like wrong teeth contacts) to move the way it should.
In regards to arthritis we all have it to some degree, it should not be a cause of tmj unless it's at a very serious stage.

In any case it's good to go a specialist on occlusion.

Thelma-Louise · 01-16-2009, 10:20 PM

This is indeed the problem with a lot of "specialists" - I have experieinced it myself and have read similar posts like this. Sometime we are better off just finding a good dentist that knows about FJO and occlusion and tmj but doesn't necessarily "specialize" in it. Stillhope is right - most of us with muscular tmj due to bite or jaw position issues will eventually have one or both condyles flatten due to their not being used or allowed to function correctly. This often leads to some type of arthitis or arthritic changes in the jaw as well. The good news is the condyle can change in shape and their functioning can improve with the right dental treatment so hope is not lost yet. Sorry you had a lousy appt - he doesn't sound like the right dr for you.

Sometimes I think these types of drs don't allow their patients to ask questions b/c they know sooner or later someone will catch on that what they are saying does not make sense or they don't know as much as they would like you to think they know but it could be they are indeed so busy they feel they do not have the time but then that would imply they are either overbooked and maybe unavailable most of the time (something to make note of) or more concerned about making money. Good drs try and educate their patients and welcome their questions.

sufferingsue · 02-05-2009, 07:40 AM

thank you for your replies. I will not be going back to that "specialist"

I haven't even booked the physical therapy as my life has been upside down these days. I told my family I should get a blood pressure monitor that I could wear and that would beep when my stress goes up. Then maybe they would stop stressing me out on such a regular basis.

I have been taking the Flexeril when I go to bed at night and the naproxen 3 times a day (even tho it says 2) and wearing my night guard. The pain has gotten to a manageable level. However wouldn't it be nice to be "pain free"!!

I would like to go back to my regular dentist and talk it all over with him, maybe I will..............

luvtocamp · 02-05-2009, 01:25 PM

I think Stillhope and TL are right, most people have arthritis and flattened condlyles and don't even know it unless they get a cat scan.