I have severe Tmj?

Question

It is the worst I have ever seen. My sister is the only other one to have it in my family, but hers is not nearly as bad as mine is. Mine dislocates all the time, I can put it back in place, but it will go out of place again once I eat or say something or shut my mouth. When I eat, the left side of my jaw makes a nasty crunchy grindy sound. I stay away from chewy foods and bagels, but even if I talk it bothers me. It doesn't really hurt, it rarely does, but it effects with my speech also. I'm going to get a splint and braces on the second of August; will that fix it over time? I've had this problem for four years, and I just can't take it anymore. It dislocates every time I talk or eat for four years. Like I said, it is not painful, but I can't really talk right or eat right or sleep with out my jaw dislocating out of place. It takes forever to find a comfortable sleeping position.

Answer 1

Like "Slave to a shadow" had done, I would not let someone put braces on my teeth without splint therapy first.  Crowded, crooked teeth do not help TMJ disorder, but lining them up in the mouth, and not putting the joint in the correct position is spinning your wheels.  It is panamount to the long-term success of treatment the TMJ be in most functional position.  The popping sound is most likely the disc of cartilage between the lower jaw and base of the skull dislocating.  Because your teeth and TMJ do not work in harmony this disc must move out of the way to allow movement of your jaw.  If the teeth and TMJ are lined up properly the popping will most likely go away.  The first step is a diagnosis with models of your teeth mounted on a jaw simulator (articulator).  A Roth Williams trained orthodontist, or Bioesthetic dentist can help with this.  I hope this helps and there is someone in your area who can help you.  You can find a list of trained dentists in your area on each of these web pages.

Answer 2

I have the same issue and could not eat anything more than boiled chicken or soft meats and other veggies. I have gone through the splint and it helped ALOT!!!! Your speech will sound like you have a lisp until your used to it and then you gradually will get used to it. I had my splint over 6 months and it cured it. I got braces as well and it has not bothered the tmj aspects of it. I Still avoid chewy things just to be on the safe side but for now I would take a melatonin to help bring you into rem sleep faster so you can atlest have a good nights sleep untill we can get you into braces or a splint.  

For now I would recomind you to have a liquid diet and refrain for speaking just to minimize the damage!

Answer 3

Simple, gentle therapies are usually recommended first. If those don't work, mouth guards and more aggressive treatments may be considered. Surgery is generally considered a last resort. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take at home long before that point.

Try massaging the various muscles that may be involved. Probe all of the muscles of the face, shoulders, and back of the neck. (Avoid the area around the throat.) Press on the muscles to identify extremely painful points. Massage the painful spot with hard, slow, short strokes. Do this several times a day until the muscle is no longer painful when pressed.

To massage the masseter muscles on each side of your jaw, place your thumb inside your mouth and squeeze the thick muscle in your cheek (toward the back of your mouth) with your fingers. To get at the harder-to-reach jaw muscles inside your mouth, use your index finger to probe for tender areas behind the teeth, and use the finger to massage these spots.

Here are some other steps to consider:

    * Maintain good posture while working at a computer, watching TV, and reading. Take frequent breaks to relieve stressed muscles.

    * Make a habit of relaxing your facial and jaw muscles throughout the day.

    * Avoid eating hard foods, like nuts, candies, and steak.

    * Drink plenty of water every day and get plenty of sleep.

    * Learn relaxation techniques to reduce overall stress and muscle tension in your back, neck, and body.

Answer 4

Whoa...you have a special splint procedure coming up in a few weeks  to solve your TMJ issue so there isn't anything for us to tell you....It would seem to me however that your DDS would have made special xrays to determine if the Meniscus (the lining of the jaw socket) to see if it has torn loose. What you describe sounds like a text book case of a torn "Meniscus"....The chance of a splint healing that issue is remote, it normally takes a surgical procedure...and the longer you wait to get the correct diagnosis, if the one you have is possibly wrong, the more damage that can occur. Please get a "positive" diagnosis. Good luck and I wish you well.

Answer 5

Many times this type of problem is caused by your bite being off and this automatically throws your jaw off and causes clicking, popping, crunching, and dislocation. Once the braces fix your bite, this may all disappear. The splint will help immediately ease it some. This cushions your jaw while you sleep letting it rest. You may still have to wear a splint after braces b/c some damage may have been caused to your TMJ. Rarely, surgery is needed b/c of the actual cushioning disc has dislocated so much.