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Thank you for your great advice also. The dentist did a panoramic x-ray and did just the basic ten second TMJ exam where she had me open and close while she pressed on them. How can I go about getting my TMJ back to a healthy state? Is PT available for this, massage, chiropractic? My orthodontist who makes my night splints told me years ago to neve let anyone touch my jaws. Also the sleep dentist said the splint is making my apnea worse, is that accurate? How do I protect my teeth? I feel like my only options now (and I'm working on them) is to loose weight, try to sleep on my side ( my sleep study showed no apnea on my side) and to do exercises to strengthen my jaws, soft palate and tongue.
Thank you for your excellent advice. I'm really not sure why the dentist prescribed this particular appliance when I told her that I clench my teeth an have a lot of jaw pain. She did say she wanted to baby me because along with this, I have fibromyalgia. She said this device is "the Cadillac." It is turning out to be a Ford Pinto for me, and I'm out the co-pay, I don't think my insurance will pay for a new device.
I used CPAP successfully for three years until using it during a cold led to a sinus infection which has led to chronic sinusitis, every time I try CPAP, the sinus gets worse. I saw a dentist who only does sleep dentistry and had an appliance made, the Narval which she chose because of my bruxism, very painful TMJ and fibromyalgia. Because of my other issues, we have decided to proceed slowly, but even wearing the appliance for an hour during the day creates migraine like headache, mostly on the left side. She did adjust the bottom because it was causing pain in a molar, but it's not much better. I have been sleeping without any treatment, not even the splint that an orthodontist made for the bruxism, because I feel it's making things worse. The dentist just keeps telling me to use the appliance, but the pain is overwhelming. I need help, do you think a course of PT for the TMJ before trying the appliance again would be helpful? Thank you!
Thank you!
Hi Dr. Tony I used CPAP successfully for three years until using it during a cold led to a sinus infection which has led to chronic sinusitis, every time I try CPAP, the sinus gets worse. I saw a dentist who only does sleep dentistry and had an appliance made, the Narval which she chose because of my bruxism, very painful TMJ and fibromyalgia. Because of my other issues, we have decided to proceed slowly, but even wearing the appliance for an hour during the day creates migraine like headache, mostly on the left side. She did adjust the bottom because it was causing pain in a molar, but it's not much better. I have been sleeping without any treatment, not even the splint that an orthodontist made for the bruxism, because I feel it's making things worse. The dentist just keeps telling me to use the appliance, but the pain is overwhelming. I need help, do you think a course of PT for the TMJ before trying the appliance again would be helpful? Thank you!
