TMJ? (Liesje)

I have had it for years.  It was MUCH worse when I was younger and I had all the same issues you do with the popping ang getting stuck.  I asked the dentist about it and the two main things I remember doing when it was at it's worst where not chewing gum at all and making sure that when I chew anything that I was bititing straight and not letting my jaw go all different directions.  The other thing that my dentist told me was to start taking Motrin regularly for a couple days...it may have been a couple weeks, I can't remember and I can't remember how much it was but basically, the Motrin was to help with the inflamation that had been caused by all the popping.  I was very careful that when I chewed I made straight bites and I may have even started sleeping in a mouth guard (the kind you buy for sports) for awhile to help keep me from grinding at night.  I now sleep in my retainer but don't have as many issues with it as I used to.  Good luck!

I had it a couple months ago. Most of the time, it self-resolves in a few weeks. I started to feel it back in like August and by the first week of October I was all better. I did go to my doc and he basically said, TMJ, nothing you can do about it, it will self-resolve. Try some heat on your jaw and take pain meds. It made me really cranky for a while too so remember to play that up as much as possible with your partner!

I have a feeling I probably clench at night too, but I don't grind. The bite plate is really for the grinders--what happens is you get uneven wear on your teeth (even if you don't grind, but if you grind the wear is more severe and way more uneven) and that screws with your temporal-mandibular joint. If you clench your teeth or are under stress, if you chew more on one side than the other, if you have gotten oral surgery where your mouth was open for a really long time, all that can cause TMJ.  

I have to displaced "condiles" (the cartilage discs between the upper and lower jaws)  In 1992 mine was so bad and the pain so severe, I was only able to open my mouth about 1/2 inch.  Surgical treatments have not been highly effective over time.  I have a splint (originally worn 24 hours per day; now only at night)  I have been asymptomatic for about 12 years.  So yes treatment is worrh it.  Find a dentist who has experience with mulitple cases.  I actually found my dentist at the head pain clinic I attended to get the original diagnosis

I too grind.  My splint was covered under medical insurance (probably because of the clinic approach).  You might want to ask about payments.  As a stop gap measure, consider a high end mouth guard from sporting goods.   You want one that you can boil then soften to fit your mouth.  The problem occurs because as you grind you screw up the occulsion (points where your teeth actually meet)  I have only three points of occultion, even though I am asymptomatic.  It will never return to normal.

Your progress in the condition is exactly what happened to me.... I ignored it and I paid significantly before the treatments started to work.  Yes treat the inflamation with meds.  You may also get some relief with hot and cold alternating compresses when it is really bad.  Give of the gum.  I also have a chant (I used to clench my teeth all the time)  "Lips together, teeth apart".  GIve up the gum, chewy candy and hard foods.  I eat apples by slicing with a knife as one example. 

weird i recently had the same sort of dream.... jaw was hurting in my sleep.. and in my dream all my freakin teeth fell out.... i heard somewhere in a dream dictionary that thats a symbol of money troubles ... i think.... i'll have to go look it up again.. but the next morning i woke up with jaw aching. i've suffered with it off and on, but i DO clench my jaw and grind my teeth when i'm away.... which is why i chew gum. if i dont chew something i'll clench my teeth... usually when i get like that i try to figure out whats stressing me out and try to remove the source of stress....

and yes i was also going to recommend a mouth guard for foot ball players. 

I have it too.   Some people get mouth guards for night.   Mine is on and off and I use warm compresses and massage.   You should be able to look up the massage techniques online - it's really easy and it helps me a lot.   TMJ can also be related to stress so if that's the case for you it can be good to find ways to deal with that stress, whether it's through exercise or talking to someone or whatever helps you.

I'd highly suggest at least seeing a good dentist about it. I think a mouth guard, even if you don't actually grind your teeth, might help. If your bite is off, it's possible that they could correct it thru orthodontics and resolve the problem.

I had a problem many yrs ago and could barely open my mouth without pain for a few months. It resolved, but when I checked into orthodontics a few yrs ago, the Dr. could hear a clicking on one side of my jaw. He sent me for special xrays and the result was that I have degenerative bone disease in the TMJ on the left. He said that putting me in orthodontics could be just enough to throw my bite off and ultimately cause me a lot more problems. He said he'd do it, but only after treating me for one year with the removable type braces that move the teeth very slowly and reevaluating every few months. It would've taken over 3 yrs total and cost me over $5,000, and we might've had to stop at any point, so I chose not to pursue it.

I have it too. If I wear my retainers at night (I had braces for many years) they function as a mouthguard and I can't clench/grind my teeth. If I get lazy and don't wear them for a few weeks, particularly if I'm stressed, the joint hurts really badly.

I recommend anti-stress measures, a mouthguard of some sort, dental/orthodontic consultation, and being careful about your sleeping position. (For example, if you sleep on your side, it puts the pressure of your head against your jaw, which can make it worse.)

Hope you feel better!

Thanks for the responses!  I haven't been to a dentist in over a year b/c my dentist retired quite suddenly (he is getting old, had back problems, and cares for his wife who had a stroke).  He was VERY good and helped with a lot of things normal dentists would not have done (for example, he pulled my wisdom teeth b/c I could not afford oral surgery, he fixed two molars that other dentists would have said I had to get a root canal and crown).

Someone mentioned chewing on one side...I wonder if that's part of it?  I don't chew certain things on the right side b/c I get a sharp pain (probably have another cavity).  

I will try to concentrate when I chew and focus on keeping my mouth relaxed.  At night, I sleep straight on my back, never on my side, and I try to remember to relax my jaw and stick my tongue between my teeth.

I've stopped chewing gum unless I'm at work and ate something garlicy and must meet with someone before I can brush my teeth, that sort of thing. 

I'm a clencher too. My jaw pops when I open it and it's sore most of the time. My dentist recommended a bite guard, but it's $400 and like you, my insurance doesn't cover it. I mentioned getting the kind that you can buy at Walmart and she said it's better to use nothing, because those can do more harm than good. Unfortunately, I don't know of anything that can be done about TMJ other than wearing a bite guard.

My mother in law has the worst case of TMJ that just about any doctor has seen and she's had several surgeries. Those didn't help that much and she travels across the country to see pain specialists, wears narcotic pain patches and everything.

Luvntzus

I'm a clencher too. My jaw pops when I open it and it's sore most of the time. My dentist recommended a bite guard, but it's $400 and like you, my insurance doesn't cover it. I mentioned getting the kind that you can buy at Walmart and she said it's better to use nothing, because those can do more harm than good. Unfortunately, I don't know of anything that can be done about TMJ other than wearing a bite guard.

My mother in law has the worst case of TMJ that just about any doctor has seen and she's had several surgeries. Those didn't help that much and she travels across the country to see pain specialists, wears narcotic pain patches and everything.

This is EXACTLY along the lines of what I've read: you need an actual fitted biteplate in order for it to be effective or it will cause more damage longterm, surgeries typically only provide temporary relief for the worst cases...

My friend from elementary school had TMJ and wore an actual device that strapped onto her head.  She wore it at night.  However, we were young and I assume they were able to correct the problem as she grew and grew out of using the device. 

I am not a night clencher/teeth grinder...my TMJ is purely do to me having a pretty marked cross-bite. Mine's not bad unless I go to town on beef jerky...otherwise it's totally manageable. It did suck right at first...but mine's gotten a lot better as I've gotten older.

Liesje

Just wondering if there's anything I can do on my own to relieve this or stop it from getting worse.

I don't know how helpful this would be, but the teeth guard for football players can be heated in hot water, and then one bites down on it and the imprint of the teeth is set in the teeth guard......

snownose

I don't know how helpful this would be, but the teeth guard for football players can be heated in hot water, and then one bites down on it and the imprint of the teeth is set in the teeth guard......

Others have suggested this, but then I read that it can do more harm that good b/c often the problem is that the teeth aren't meeting correctly, so if you're using your own bite impression to make the guard and your bite is off, it's just keeping the same problem or making it worse.  The dentist can make a plate that helps correct the bite.