TMJ?

[MessyT]

Looking for info on TMJ treatment. Anyone have it? What type of doctor have you successfully used for treatment? I was being treated by my regular dentist and he has washed his hands of me. Said there was nothing more he could do. Referred me to another dentist who specializes in jaw problems, that doctor is not under my insurance plan though.

 

[Lauri]

I think Barb's daughter had trouble with that...hopefully she will be on later.

 

[peanutzmom]

I had it back in college. Best thing that helped the most was going to a chiropractor and having deep tissue ultrasound.

Do you have a night guard? That is also helpful, since it ofetn comes from clenching/grinding your teeth at night or a misalligned bite.

 

[prd2frm]

I didnt know you could do anything about this. I had a steer dislocate my jaw a few years ago. They told me I now have TMJ and there was really nothing you could do. Its nice to know that you can do something about it.

 

[MessyT]

I had it back in college. Best thing that helped the most was going to a chiropractor and having deep tissue ultrasound.

Do you have a night guard? That is also helpful, since it ofetn comes from clenching/grinding your teeth at night or a misalligned bite.

I hadn't thought about seeing a chiropractor for this. I will give mine a call tomorrow. Thank you!

I do have a "night guard", my dentist calls it a splint. I assume it must be the same thing? I have had one since March and wear it as much of the day as I can and then also at night. At first it seemed to help alot, now I am not so sure. I am just so tired of the constant pain and the major pain when I eat. Although eating less sounds like a good thing for me, it seems that I eat crappier stuff that is easier to chew.

 

[MessyT]

I didnt know you could do anything about this. I had a steer dislocate my jaw a few years ago. They told me I now have TMJ and there was really nothing you could do. Its nice to know that you can do something about it.

It sounds to me like there is treatment available IF you can find a doctor. I went around in circles today trying to find a doctor that treats TMJ that is under my insurance plan. I have never had a problem finding a doctor with this plan for anything else, but I am at my wits end. I did learn that my dental insurance doesn't cover TMJ, but my medical insurance does.

I talked to a rep for my insurance company today and they said I should see an oral/maxillo..surgeon. There are only 2 within 30 miles of my home. Called the first one and he has retired. Called the second one and they said they only diagnose TMJ, but do not treat it. They refer out for that. Of course the doctor they refer to is not under my insurance. ullhair:

 

[icoupon2]

I will ask my sister. She had several surgeries and has a great maxillo surgeon. They did the jaw break reset etc. etc. the difference was amazing. I just texted her

 

[peanutzmom]

The deep tissue ultrasound really helps, because the muscle around that area is in such a tight spasm and this really helps relax it...also electrical stim at the chiropractor helps, too.

I first started treating it with an orthodontist who put braces on me (I had already had tehm in 8th gradem but this was strictly for the jaw the 2nd time) Honestly I don't think that really helped. He then wanted to break my jaw and "fix" it. At the point when he mentioned surgery, it was finally starting to feel a little better, so I couldn't imagine going through all that when it was starting to get better.

Yes, a "splint"! I forgot that is what they called it. I also wore mine almost all the time day and night. That also helped because my bite was so "off".

I don't have any trouble anymore (and I never had the surgery). Once I got to the chiropractor, it took several more months before it was no longer a problem. At the beginning of all my trouble, I couldn't open my mouth far enough to fit a spoon in, so I definitely lost some weight, but it was a miserable way to do it.

Good luck, I hope your chiropractor can help you.