Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD or TMD), or TMJ syndrome, is an acute or chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the lower jaw to the skull. The ...
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Cycle of Pain
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Ok..a little history first.
1. Root canal upper left bicusp 2004(?) 2. Tonsilectomy 2004 3.Back surgery L5-S1 Laminectomy Dec 2005-Chronic pain ensued which has contributed to the clenching. Am on chronic pain management, which only confounds the issue with obtaining any relief for acute severe pain. 4. Root Canal 2nd to last molar upper-lotso pain 5. MVA Whiplash 6. Went to "TMJ Specialist" was Dx with TMJ, was told that I was under alot of stress and in chronic pain....der. All they had to offer was a mouth guard and NSAIDS..neither of which works for me. 7. Clenching at night ends up fracturing the cusp of my second to back bottom molar=PAIN in jaw and tooth 8. Just had procedure done where he grooved out the fracture and filled it, and then fitted me with a mouth guard which gags me and has exacerbated my TMJ symptoms=PAIN. Have discontinued using the mouth guard. Man, this sucks....Pain>Stress>Anxiety>Pain>Clench>Inflame>Pain>Stress>Anxiety. Yes, I see a psych as well to address the stress.....It just seems that when I try to tell the doctors what works for me, because i know what works for abating that pain, they just dismiss my EDUCATED viewpoint and say NSAIDs and mouthguard, and change your diet, etc....been there done that, ain't workin...and dental work doesn't help in calming the symptoms either, it just starts the cycle over again. If I am clenching hard enough to fracture my tooth, the mechanical stress is pretty significant of my TMJ....ah, what to do? Suggestions??? Posted on 09/21/08, 11:09 am |
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its tough man, you have to adress the clenching which is easier said than done, either by drugs, splint, counseling, etc. A very affordable, conservative and highly effective treatment, as well as being the only splint fda approved for tmj prevention and migraine that suppresses clenching is an NTI splint. www.headacheprevention.com 
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Get an NTI. They work. After 20 plus years and two surgeries and mucho money, this little device helps more than anything I have tried.Good luck. I hope you are apin free soon.
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and those surgeries were no joke.
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Have you had an MRI of the TMJ? Find out what kind of damage (if any) occured. Then you can look at treatment options. I also had your cycle of pain/stress/etc. I think you hit the nail on the head when you say "MECHANICAL stress in your TMJ". That was my problem... I was "broken" and no kind of therapeutic procedures, night guards, diet change, counseling, etc. will fix that. Has your jaw locked yet? How wide can you open?
Personally, I've had two TMJ surgeries. The first was somewhat successful and the second finally alleviated my pain and took care of other issues not resolved in the first surgery. Have you heard of a fat graft procedure? That is the second surgery I had by a TMJ godsend in St. Pete, FL (I live in the southwest U.S.). I can certainly relate to the TMJ issues you've experienced. Hang in there and let me know if I can help in any way. Take care!
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OK...went back to see the dentist who fixed my Fx'ed bottom molar and told him that I was still experiencing some pretty intense pain in my lower left jaw and also increased sensations in my upper two root canal teeth and inner ear pain/left eye pressure pain, so he looks at my back upper molar and finds a periapical circumferential lesion at the apex of upper left back molar...so here is yet another pain generator!!!! Eiiiieeeyyyy!!! He recommended a root canal....Great, another incursion that will will hurt and cause me to gnaw ad nauseum...Bring the Pain!!
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Yikes! Have you talked with anyone else re: your issues? Maybe another dentist, oral surgeon, etc.? I hate to hear how much pain you are having. Hang in there and keep me posted! I'm saying a prayer for you now!
Take care - Christy
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