[MERGED] Temporomandibular Joint Disorders ( TMD )

[jadrobe]

Locked jaw could be a symptom of tetanus, which of course really bad or your wisdom tooth/teeth could be growing.

[soulthird]

lockjaw.

[Bea19]

wala namang nagawa yung ortho ko sa lock jaw ko e...

[smilewarrior]

^^
You need to see an ENT. Orthodontics may or may not work depending whether or not the teeth are really involved in your Temporomandibular Disorder.

It has to be determined whether its the teeth, the muscles or the temporomandibular joint which is involved.

Diagnosis comes first. Treatment comes later.

[YoniPYokA]

Lockjaw ..... how about 2 times a week na la lockjaw ako. Ultimo mansanas d ko makagat.....
D ako maka hikab na malaki, d makasubo na malaki dahil lockjaw na agad....1 month ako pa balik2 sa PGH para sa checkup, dugo,urine,stool... walang makitang dahilan....


YUN lang pala Kulang lang ako sa Vitamin C .... take caltrate plus ....... believe me....

[smilewarrior]

Caltrate plus is a Calcium supplement.

[YoniPYokA]

Originally posted by YoniPYokA



YUN lang pala Kulang lang ako sa Vitamin C .... take caltrate plus ....... believe me....

ay mali pala Kulang lang ako sa Calcuim Vitamins....

:-)

[beefnmushroom]

Calcium is not a vitamin.

[umalis_natu2log]

my jaw often locks when i yawn and could not close it. i have to pull it back into place.

an orthodontist said my bite has changed because most of my molars and premolars were removed.

it has been going on for about 4 years and is now occuring very often. i was advised to have a brace or bracket (what ever you call it.)

will it work? can i still live a normal life?

[zetia]

oo naman... did u hav any trauma to ur chin? or any other med diagnosis? ...

...ur orthodontics might want to balance your your teeth dats y he/she s recommending the brace... it can help din kc..

some treatments (from simple to more radical)..

... u may seek a Physical therapy-- they hav a program for this condition..
... Avoid teeth grinding or u can wear a splint at night.. the splint will prevent the teeth from coming together
...take some over-the-counter med's as prescribed by your orthodontics..
... avoid d activities that will increase jaw movements; s/a singing, laughing out loud, eating thick and large foods ( u can cut it into small pieces)
...injections to soft tissue
...in severe cases surgery is indicated..

[umalis_natu2log]

there were no related events the first time it happened, it just clicked and was locked.

the prescription was to take some vitamin b complex

can you pls tell me more about how braces and splints work, and how it would affect my case?

in which cases does a surgery may be needed? (i'm afraid of this one... more than the pain... the cost!)

thanks for enlightening me.

[zetia]

d vit b will help relieve muscle tension to prevent teeth from grinding.. anyways f the pain bothers u, u can take OTC drug s/a aspirin..
d splint will be worn at night to keep your teeth apart.. imagine you close your mouth but your teeth r slightly apart.. basically dats d purpose of the splint to keep the normal angle of the jaw (tension-free angle)..
surgery is the last resort... if u do not respond to any of the above mentioned conservative mgt then ur a candidate..

[smilewarrior]

@umalis_natu2log

Because you lack a lot of posterior teeth (molars and premolars), there is a tendency for your mouth to "overclose". Also, due the lack of posterior teeth and if you don't have a denture, the forces generated when you chew are not distributed properly.

You will eventually need a denture later on. Perhaps after you have your braces if indeed you do need braces.

For your suspected temporomandibular disorder (TMD), I could refer you to an Orthodontist who is adept at treating it. Since the condition is already chronic ( it has been going on for four years as you said), treating it may not be easy.

Do avoid opening your mouth too much from yawning, singing and biting on very large and very hard foods.

[umalis_natu2log]

wow! i never thought posting here would somehow ease the pain and worries. i think i owe you guys professional fees. if i get well, land a better job, get rich, i'll treat you. ehehe.

thanks! i really appreciate it.

[smilewarrior]

^^
You're welcome. Best of luck to you.

[kapitan88]

i've learned a lot from here also. I've experienced that problem for quite some time already, and learned not to open my mouth so wide when yawning.

[umalis_natu2log]

i jaz had a tmj xray, its negative. what does it mean? that i don't have a tmd?!? that there's nothing wrong?!? i don't get it.

@ kapitan88
never thought there are others with the same issue, or at least i never knew one before. have you been treated? how are you now?

[smilewarrior]

@umalis_natu2log:
I am not rejecting the idea that your tmj is actually normal and that the cause of your problem is actually your lack of posterior support ( lack of posterior teeth). An objective assesment of your case has to be done in order to pinpoint the cause of your problem.

[umalis_natu2log]

my orthodontist reffered me to a dental surgeon who then examined the transcranial xray (w/ 6 views). the treatment cost is 25k, composed of an apparatus (like a retainer), which i have to wear for about a year.

would that be value for money? will that treatment really work? (how can a retainer affect my jaw?!?) i don't want to waste 25k. now i'm getting desperate.

[smilewarrior]

Hello umalis_natu2log ,

The appliance you are referring to is not a "retainer" but an orthotic, more commonly known as a splint. Some dentists call it a retainer so that the it will be easier for the patient to understand, but it's very very different from a retainer.

The splint raises your bite , by doing so lessening the activity of the muscles associated with your mouth, which will supposedly or hopefully relieve your symptoms. If your tmd is "muscular" or related to your muscles to begin with, the treatment might work. If the problem is not muscular in nature, it will not work.