Posted by minnie dodd on Saturday, September 13, 2003 :
Location:
Howdy, My problem started with a clicking in the right side of jaw for about 6 months,no pain,then the clicking stopped and the pain started. My jaw locked so I could no longer eat a large sandwich, this is when I went to the best oral surgeon in the city, he said I had TMJ, and that he could perform a small operation to flush out the disk, but first he wanted me to wear a normal splint just to relax the jaw. About a month later, my whole bite had changed, from the splint I developed an open bite, where there is a gap between the top and bottom teeth, Im not overly concerned with that, but now my bite is constantly changing, daily. Muscle spasms have started so intense, somedays I dont wish to be alive anymore, I can actually feel the muscles pulling my head sideways and pulling my jaw into bizarre position. I have had every drug under the sun to get relief, and none have worked. I suffered dizziness with this aswell, as was sent to and EAR NOSE AND THROAT guy, who believed that I did not have TMJ, and said I had hyperventilation syndrome, from not breathing properly. I have been to a Pain Clinic that just told me to live with it, and to do yoga etc, I have done yoga for years, and progressive muscle relaxation and counselling. I instinctively feel that my bite needs to be corrected, but I am too scared from all the horror stories about repositioning splints etc, especially after my whole bite changed just from wearing a normal splint. Near the end of line.