How to fix jaw alignment

MountainReader

Only a professional exam can really answer some of your questions.

My TMJD symptoms manifested as ear symptoms. My discs had slipped and my jaw was pushed back into my ears. I wore a lower mandibular repositioning splint for a while to bring my lower jaw forward, back away from my jaw. That combined with tons of PT and oral trigger point work was extremely helpful.

You can see my story over the years on this board. I was also a bruxer too.

__________________
Asthma, Allergies, Dry Eye, severe LPR/GERD, TMJD, Hearing Loss, Ulnar Impaction Syndrome, Shoulder Impingement, Ankle ligament repair, arthritis, Joint Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder

Canuck65

I echo Mountain Reader - only a professional can diagnose this - try an oral surgeon or a orthodentist. Good luck and sorry to hear you are suffering through this. I would also suggest seeing an ears nose and throat doctor since you have deviated septum and sensation in your ears (if you haven't already).

Take care

matts767

Thanks for your reply. I see the dentist tomorrow to fix my cracked tooth. I'll see what he thinks. I did see the oral surgeon who did my wisdom teeth a little over year ago and he took some panoramic x-rays of my mouth and said the jaw looked ok. But I can feel it pressing into my ear canal, not to mention all the clicks, pops, and tearing sounds that my jaws can make. Right now my ears are ringing from eating a sandwich that took a lot of chewing. They were slightly ringing before, but as soon as I started eating, the intensity went way up and stayed. I am sure my jaw is not right and could be causing the headaches and poor sleep I have been experiencing.

I just feel stuck because my healthcare provider is not very good and I did see an ENT last summer because I had vertigo after my ears started ringing. She couldn't give me an explanation of why my hearing changed and the ringing appeared in a matter of days, but said it probably wouldn't go away. She did look up my nose, but didn't say anything about the septum. I do like my dentist and oral surgeon, but when he said my jaw looked fine on the x-ray, I felt like there was nothing I could do. I might see if I can see a different ENT and pay out of pocket.

I appreciate you taking the time to reply and for the support. I'll definitely check out your story. Are you doing better with the TMJD?

matts767

Thanks for your reply, Canuck65. I was telling Mountain Reader that I did see an ENT, but may try to see an different ENT that will be more thorough. I'll ask my dentist what he thinks about my jaw tomorrow. Thanks for your advice and for the support, it's greatly appreciated!

Canuck65

You may want to ask your oral surgeon about doing either a MRI or CT scan of your jaw - panoramic xrays aren't the best for showing the TMJ joint from what I've been told. Good luck seeing your surgeon.

Gretagirl

You may want to ask your dentist or surgeon if they know of a TMJ specialist in your area for a review of your situation.

As suggested, I would definately ask for an MRI if you suspect it may be jaw joint related. That would be the best way for diagnosing the best course of treatment for you. If it is disc related and depending on what stage it is in, it may be possible to treated with splint therapy.

Before you have your cracked tooth treated, please remind your dentist that you are worried about your jaw position. This could effect your dental work as it did mine.


Good luck tomorrow.

matts767

Just to update, I had a crown put on to fix the cracked tooth. I hurt like crazy for a while and then felt out of place for a week or so, but now seems normal. My dentists are very nice and seem concerned with the hearing problems I have, but don't feel there is much more to do that what we have already done (x-rays and night guard). I'm going to try to see someone else, but my insurance pretty won't cover anything TMJD, so I'll have to see what I can do.

Canuck65

Glad to hear that you are feeling a bit better. About your hearing problems, go get a second opinion from another ENT, but you might also want to see a neurologist - maybe they could determine if there is some kind of nerve impingement that is manifesting itself as hearing loss. Good luck and take care

toodledoo

Matts767,

Check my thread, I have similar symptoms. Mine started with dizziness issues, then tmj dysfunction and many tinnitus sounds there without any jaw movement.

How many tinnitus noises do you have and what kind, do you know?

I can hear fine, but I did recently temporarily lose a lot of hearing in both ears for a minute or two. It was very muffled sounding and hard to hear anything.

I have yet to find anything effective, but have tried anterior repositioning for two months now and nothing yet.

matts767

Thanks, that's a good idea. I am starting to think I have something going on in my neck. I was rear ended 12 years ago and had whiplash pretty bad and haven't slept the same since then. I noticed lately if I play guitar for a while, my right arm will get very sore (never used to), also my right leg will get pins and needles if I sit for too long. I have tinnitus in both sides, but my right ear has been muffled for a little under a year. I also can't breathe through the right side of my nose too well. Could all be coincidences or paranoia, but it there seems to be a pattern. But last night I was doing some things with my neck and the tinnitus got quieter than it ever has and stayed that way even partially today. so there has to be something to it. I've heard neck issues can also lead to TMJ, but I haven't looked into that. Thanks so much for your advice and support, I really appreciated it and will keep updating in hopes that it will help others

matts767

Thanks for the reply, Toodledoo! I checked out your thread and it's crazy how a lot of the symptoms are similar to mine. I have a constant hissing sound in both ears, but sometimes it will turn to high frequency tones. Sometimes it's worse in one ear, sometimes in the other. But if I chew, or grit my teeth, it gets more intense. If I jut my jaw to the right, it gets MUCH louder, and if I do TMJ exercises, I start getting all kinds of new pitches moving. I also get the pain in the base of my skull. With the neck, head, and even the TMJ I have always felt like I am not in a lot of pain - but lately I think I have more pain than I realize, I am just used to it and not as bothered by it as I am by the other problems.

Since this has happened, I also get random sounds and feelings of my ears popping and when I turn my hear or move my neck, I can feel my ears pop all the way down my neck (hard to describe). Sometimes laying down I get random movement of sounds in my ears and then sometimes I get squealing that lasts for a few seconds. I know I grind my teeth in my sleep and when I chew on my right side, my jaw swings out. Also in the last year I've gotten a lot of floaters in my eyes (2 huge ones in my left eye) and I almost have like an interference with my vision. It's kind of like when you stare at something bright and then see a remnant of it for a while, but there's always little faint blobs. I'm due for my annual eye exam, so I will ask about that, but last year in spite of the floaters, the doctor said my eyes were very healthy.

Anyway, I appreciate your post and I'm going to keep looking for answers. I will keep you updated and hope we can help each other find how to get things cured, or at least understand what's going on. Thanks again for the reply!