Well first off since I was a wee lil kid I
new my jaw was asymetrical by 18 I started
getting jaw pains and head aches so I went
to my dentist and he removed all four of
my wisdom teeth and said to see an
orthodontist and handed me a tmj pamphlet.
Well anyways I never went to see the
orthodontist. Now I am 30 and my tmj
symptoms had gotten worse loud popping,
stiffness and tension in my face and jaws,
sharp pin like pain along my jaw, ringing
noises in my ears as well as this static
like noise when I swallow yawn chew, sever
head aches that would recur through out
the day. ANd sometimes I would wake with a
lock jaw. Needless to say I went to see a
dentist and he said I suffered from
bruxisim and he made me a soft mouth guard
I asked him about tmj and he said he knew
nothing of the topic and to see my health
doctor. I saw the health doctor that said
he didn't know how to treat me and gave a
perscription to 800 mg Ibprophrens. Well I
was taking these pills 3 or 4 times a day.
By now I had quit my job becuase of not
only the pain but a self confidence issue
that I have because my jaw is crooked from
the chin and up to my right TMJ, so I
applied for some state dental insurance so
I could see a new dentist. I found a TMJ
Specialist that accepts State insurance
and he had confirmed that I had TMD and
that I would need corrective surgery, gave
me a pamphlet of how to reduce the pain in
cluding soft food diet, a jaw resting
position, sleeping on my back, applying
heat and cold to the area of pain and to
massage the area. This has worked greatly
to reducing the pain and I no longer take
the perscription pills. He said I would
need braces and a hard mouth guard, and
said to see an orthodontist. So this is
where I am at currently and let me say
state insurance sucks, the orthodontist
apparently is always booked and travels
through out the state to different
practices so my first appointment was
booked to see him three months from now.
BLAH
Anyways I have a question: what procedures
will I under go to correct my bite since I
have an occlusion III "what ever that is"?
Does this include the correction of my jaw
to some degree to make it more symetrical?
Does it include Bone surgery to fix my jaw
since the left side has a roundish shape
to it but the left is like a straight
line? also does this in clude the postion
of my jaws being the right side is higher
then the left (asyemtrical) which makes me
look like a Picasso?
What else might I expect?
Should I seek out a psychologist for my
self esteem issues brought on by my self
appearance or since I have already come to
terms with what the problem is and have
sought out the help needed to correct the
problem I am alright and these tmj
procedures will be beneficial to me.
I am not out seeking the perfect facial
appearance just because I want my jaw
symetrical, I mean my nose is crooked and
one of my eyelids saggs a smidge lower
then the other but that adds definition to
who I am I think and sets me apart from
everyone else I just want a normal jaw a
normal bite and my teeth to be horizontal
not a horizon.
Also is there financial help for tmj
problems like grants or something I can
apply for to help cover any costs? Or a
site I can view similar to
"ClinicalTrials.GOV"?
Well I'm done and
look forward to chatting with you people
on this subject, and will post an update
on my progress as to offer help in others
in my situation.
look forward to
hearing from you.
