I've had it about 9 months now. It hurts a lot.
It affects my everyday life and makes things that much harder.
I'm slowly resigning myself to the fact I might have this for the rest of my life.
Whilst it's a depressing thought, I think accepting this is healthy.
Regardless,
who can make me feel better!?
Or have those who have beaten TMJ no longer hanging around, I certainly wouldn't
Theres some very knowledgable people here, I can help too much as I wear dentures so, its different. I've been going thru it for 3 years tho and I completely understand how your feel.
Maybe a little more info will help, do you remember how it started, after dental work, or an accident. Do you grind at night. Have you seen anyone or had any treatment , xrays, or mri. Knowing this stuff people may be able to
help you more.
I think most success stories are long gone, but I think there are alot of them.
It started a month or so after going to the dentist to have a few fillings and a crown. Not sure if this is coincidence.
I've had a night guard made, costing 200 pounds. It hasn't helped! I shouldn't of bothered really as I was 99% sure I don't grind my teeth at night. I think maybe it's more likely that I "gurn" during the day. I had very crooked teeth when I was young but braces soon straightened them.
However, it's never been comfortable for me to have my mouth closed with my upper and lower teeth resting against each other. That position has always felt unnatural. Instead, my natural relaxed position is to suck my lower gum into between my top and bottom rows of teeth and almost gentle bite it. It's as if I need a cushion between the two of them. This said, I have no idea if this is contributing to my TMJD.
Does that resonate with anybody else?
I've got my first specialist hospital appointment next week in London.
Anybody here from London? x
LTC asked very good questions. It is NOT the coincidence what you tell about the dental work or your lip habit. I'd need more details about the dental work to tell more but it is already clear that your bite is off which contributes to your TMD. It also seems that you might have an "open bite" and this is why you place your lip there trying to compensate.
Or your back teeth could be too low, then you protect the fronts from too much contact.
Where were you braces on the upper or lower teeth? Were they moving the teeth forward?
Is your natural biting position further back or more forward than where your teeth make good contacts?
You do not need to suffer from TMD for the rest of your life if and when you will find a dentist competent in occlusion (and tmj). Just keep in mind that it is very easy when it comes to bite/ tmj to make any bad situation even worse. So ask your dentist first about his experience in dealing with occlusion (not just one tooth at a time); ask him before doing any work all the details of his plan and ask for a back-up. I mean try to have everything which will be done reversible until you will be comfy. This is very important.
Another useful thing is to get educated. Don't be afraid that it's too complex for you. Ask questions, read...
Certainly, I understand how you are feeling and other people on this board do too!
I had two or three fillings mostly in the bottom row at the back and root canal/one GOLD crown in the top row at the back. I guess I had to expect this having not been to the Dentist for 4 years so it's my own fault!
You've given me a lot of terminology that I will hopefully aid my relationship with a specialist. Doctors in England seem to be so hit and miss, I've got my fingers crossed. Thank you.
My braces were on both rows.
On the top row I think they were pushing teeth backwards.
Nowadays, I have to move my top row forwards to rest both rows together.
StillHope, luvtocamp, what are your stories? How long have you been suffering? What have you tried to treat it? Does it get easier?
I seem to go through phases of it being really bad and not so bad. I'm a very anxious person and have taken medication for this is in the past. TMJ only makes my anxiety worse unfortunately.
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