is tmj actually fixable or am i dreaming - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

nessie01 · 05-16-2009, 02:31 AM

i have tmj along with numerous other health issues so last thing i need

has anyone actaully been cured form tmj? or is it incurable and the best we can hope for is a little releif in pain

just need some hope

i have every symptom............the worst thing is the popping or clicking as this freaks me out so much cause i no that the clicking etc is because your joint has popped out and rubbing in the wrong place, this symptom scares me the most

anyway can this be fixed!!!! without surgery
ness

Thelma-Louise · 05-16-2009, 09:44 AM

I am pretty certain for most of us it can be - it comes down to finding the right dentist, IMO - someone that is well versed in all aspects of it - orthopedics, neuromuscular functioning, underlying structural issues as well as the tmjs and jaw function as well as various theories and types of treatments. If a dentist is going to apply his same theory and treatment to each patient there are bound to be failures. Also one has to consider individual histories - did they have previous orthodontia, accidents, surgeries - as these can affect the complexity of their case.

I read somewhere that 90-95% of those non-surgically treated are improved within 3-5 yrs and some take 7-10yrs and 5-10% are left to deal with it for the rest of their lives. I say improved b/c I don't remember it saying "cured". But I have seen posts here from members that are now fine - and my own dentist had it very bad as a child and he is symptom free now too.

luvtocamp · 05-16-2009, 10:43 AM

I agree with TL- if the cause is correctly determined, and one has a competent dentist to apply the appropriate treatment for the patient, unfortuantely most tmj dentist usually do the same old treatment for every patient, just put a bite splint on, maybe PT, cranial, meds , grinding down on teeth, just depends on where they got their training. Most don't do a good medical hx. and treat all their patients the same and hope it helps. You can probably tell I'm down on dentist at this point. So that is the hard part.

nessie01 · 05-16-2009, 04:00 PM

thanks i feel better knowing this.............im getting anxeity attacks at night in bed and my whole body almsot jumps of the bed flying in the air lol!! its a horrible feeling

im seeing a neuromuscular guy who is working on the whole body muscles etc and im doing stretching exercises etc.............

i live in a small country with the poopulation smaller than most cities, but i do have an appointment in June with a guy that flys over from melbourne who is supposed to be a specilist...........so fingers crossed i just want to have releif and lose the fear of me feeling like this forever.........

i really appreaciate your reply...especailly the statisitics!! maybe it will take me a good year or so to get this under control

thanks

Thormatrix · 05-22-2009, 05:32 AM

Personally speaking, and based on what I am going through myself, I would say is manageable at most.

But everyone is different. I don't take any meds to help control my pain, as I find the meds gave me their own problems.

So either I deal with the daily chronic pain, and I do feel the stress of it, and cos of it, I find myself harder and harder to concentrate, to remember things, or take meds like anti depressants (which I used to be one them for a short time), and they ended up making me so tired and affected my memory anyways, so I stopped taking them. Come to think of it, I think they are what made me worse in some ways prior to finding out I had TMJ.