Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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i know that this is something i should ask a doctor but i did and he didn't really help me, just told me i'd need to spend 1200 on a dental splint which is not covered by insurance and that braces will LIKELY help me

i have a huge overbite and dental overcrowding on my bottom teeth, TIGHT TIGHT masseter muscle, and awful tmj around my eyes and base of my head, ears are always clogged

the tmj doc said my tmj joint was fine, this was muscular problem

i can get a really good deal on braces through my job, huge discount, otherwise, i might not be able to afford them.

what would you guys do if you were me?

flag	asked Sep 5 at 14:55 holly 1,097●3●12

kev · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-05 16:12:43Z UTC

I had and still have it, but it got a lot better. I think it's important to realize that MOST of the pain is muscular. It really is. When your current 'jaw position' tenses up your muscles this will lead to pain and can cause damage (obviously). But injuries themselves are often not the main cause of pain.

1) Restore the right position. Here you really need an expert. Many dentists just create a dental splint so you don't grind your teeth at night (prevent damage). But it is important that the splint restores the right position. When your muscles are tense and you take dental imprints to create a dental splint, this splint will not restore the right position (actually, that's quite obvious). My dentist used his fingers and moved my lower jaw in a circular motion to make my jaw relax. Kind of hard to explain. It is important that the dentist does something to make your jaw relax before taking dental imprints. If he just creates a random splint, you will see no improvements. I don't know if braces are necessary. I don't know you and I'm not a doctor. I had success with a dental splint.

2) You need to see improvements FAST. Don't make the mistake I made. When you get a dental splint and you're still in the same pain 4 weeks later -> new doctor. This is a muscular problem. When a dental splint or braces restore the right jaw position, there has to be improvement when it comes to pain!

3) Meditation and exercises to relax on a daily basis. Massage trigger points (such as the masseter muscle). (http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1572243759/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346861475&sr=8-1&keywords=trigger+points)

Good luck!

Gracie · Answer 2 · 2012-09-05 16:07:52Z UTC

I did not complete my orthodontics in my mid-20's. Now at the mid age of 46, my jaw started popping and locking and it was painful just to eat a few walnuts, etc. I have been back in ortho treatment for 9 months now and not once has my jaw locked or popped. that being said (and working in the ortho/dental field for aprox 10 years), it is well worth the opportunity to do the ortho treament. and in your case, if the opportunity is there for a short time, take it! what have you got to lose? a few months of cutting your meat into smaller bite size pieces, a bit of soreness a few hours out of the month? and a beautiful set of teeth that will last well into your senior years so you won't have to worry about dentures/missing teeth in your future! GO FOR IT!

John Sorrentino · Answer 3 · 2012-09-05 15:50:59Z UTC

It's hard to give you a diagnosis but here are some general guidelines. If your teeth are not where they are supposed to be in your skull things are misaligned and this may cause problems. TMJ is a different problem than malocclusion. Will fixing one help the other? I can't say. Do what you can, think stress reduction protocol. Do the following to lower stress levels: sleep in a dark room at night, no TV, smartphone or computer after sunset, get up with the sun, and consider cold thermogenisis. Can you do that? It's free. From experience, discount dentistry is often not worth the money you save.

KK · Answer 4 · 2012-09-05 19:28:03Z UTC

I've had TMJ for years from clenching my jaw. When I first got diagnosed I had a splint and had to wea it 24/7 for a month and take muscle relaxers. I could only open my mouth a little bit, not even wide enough to eat a hotdog. I have the splint still and I like the fact that if problems start I can always pop it back in. It's expensive but make sure your doctor is billing correctly. An oral surgeon can often get it covered through your major medical as a medical device. I didn't pay anything for the one billed through major medical a couple years ago; the one billed through my dental by an orthododonstist cost me a couple hundred, and that one I got 18 years ago.

really bad tmj should i get braces?

4 Answers