| Subject: TMJ/Braces |
Author:
WorshipDude
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Date Posted: 10:01:33 08/17/04 Tue
Long story. I've had TMJ issues for a number of years. As I'm getting older (I'm 44 now) the symptoms have increased (jaws clicking, headaches behind eyes and in temples, stuffy ears and ears ringing, etc.) As a result, I started going to a dentist several months ago to start TMJ therapy. We started with the splint and that seemed to alleviate (not eliminate) some of the symptoms. After awhile, he suggested that the problems were really the result of my bad bite. I have open bite, overjet issues as well as the upper and lower teeth just not fitting together well. He advised me to consult an orthodontist. So far, so good. Braces as a middle-aged man doesn't thrill me, but wife is supportive and I mentally prepared myself for the idea.
So far, I've been to two orthodontists, and this is where it gets interesting.
Ortho #1 said to continue splint therapy and at some point he would grind away at my teeth to get them to fit together better. Hmmm, not happy with that solution.
Ortho #2 told me that TMJ is typically the result of malformed jaws and the only viable solution was orthognathic surgery. Not very happy with that solution either.
The research I'd done on TMJ told me that option #1 wasn't a very good solution and it's apparently rare that teeth grinding is ever done anymore. Doing some research on option #2, orthognathic surgery, I could find no examples where this surgery is done to correct TMJ. In fact, it seems as if the surgery could actually increase the problems with TMJ.
So, my questions are these. Do either of these options sound realistic? Should I flee from both of these orthodontists? Is it likely that another orthodontist is going to suggest these options? Or is it more likely that it will fall somewhere in between. I'd be okay doing the braces, but anything more radical than that and I'd probably just deal with it, or wait until it becomes debilitating.
I'm open to suggestions.
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