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2nd Trimester
alumsden1
member
TMJ? WTF!?
alumsden1
member
I was eating steak on sunday when I started hearing the r. side of my jaw squeaking. I thought it was random, but 4 days later it still squeaks everytime I chew. I know I have problems with clenching and grinding my teeth sometimes...but hearing my jaw squeak makes me sick! Someone told me that in pregnancy, all of your joints loosen up, so the pregnancy may be a factor. I called my dentist and they want me to get fitted for a "bite guard" (nerd) that costs $250! Has anyone had this happen to them? In pregnancy or not?
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Re: TMJ? WTF!?
Yes! This has happened to me. I've always clinched my teeth at night. So much so that I was breaking some of my crowns and having to get them repaired. I totally had to get a nerdy mouth guard that I wear at night.
Well, early in my 1st tri I was feeling like crap in the evenings and didn't brush my teeth at night so I didn't wear my guard. Then, last week, my right jaw starting really hurting me, especially in the morning. So I'm wearing my guard and it's feeling better; still a little tight though.
I think the pregnancy was making it worse.
My yoga instructor also mentioned that TMJ can get worse w/ pregnancy.
I have a TMJ disorder (btw- we all have TMJ- that is just the name of the joint- it's the disorder you are talking about).
it causes my jaw to click if i chew food in a certain spot. I was fitted for a retainer type thing to help with the grinding, etc- and it helped a lot to lessen migraines and jaw pain i was having. Worth the money to me.... but if you are not having pain or issues other than noise- if you don't want to spend the money- it's not something that is necessary.
pPROM at 27 weeks, Birdy born at 28 weeks at 2lb 7oz.
Hi! Dentist here...
Niteguard is NOT pointless, if you damage the disc and joint (TMJ) you can end up having surgery, very costly and painful, at worst, and at best you will just cause wear and fractures on your natural teeth. Unfortunately their is no way to predict whether the fractures caused by clenching and grinding will lead to decay or all the way to tooth loss from a root fracture. In between surgery and tooth damage there is the possibility that the muscles in you neck can join the party and cause cervical strain...not to kill a dead horse, but it is a slippery slipper slope and not one to take lightly...
All our patients are advised to bring their niteguards in at every cleaning and if it is not fitting comfortably to bring it in for a short adjustment appointment.
$250 is a very low fee for a lab processed hard acrylic niteguard, and is well worth the protection it will offer you
I am not just the president of the niteguard club for pregnant women, I wear one too!
wow- even better to get advice from an actual dentist...
Its not painful right now. I always have neck pain because I seem to carry all my stress above my shoulders- yay!
I wear my night guard very sporadically...it does help though. I had a BAD problem with clenching and was actually getting sinus headaches from the pressure I was causing myself. My health insurance paid for the whole thing because it was "medically necessary". Mine is super fitted and it NEVER falls out at night...it was molded to my mouth perfectly (as I assume they should be). It's totally worth it to me
GL!
Oh keep in mind- if you do grind....my hubby does and just had to get his teeth redone because he ground them down to the nerves.....now that was expensive!!!
this may be a silly question, but was it your medical insurance or dental. My dental coverage is so-so, and pays for 50 % (bite guard estimated at 500). But if there is some kind of "medical necessity", did your reg. health ins. kick in?
Dental Insurance stinks!
They aren't to progressive when it comes to prevention...which is a shame because 1 NG costs alot less than up to 28 crowns...
Usually if I have a patient that is symptomatic (ie.headaches, neck pain, pain in joint, getting stuck in open position, limited opening (unable to fit three or more fingers when open)) I refer them to a TMJ/pain specialist. At the specialist they will send to medical insurance, as the issue is not just threatening the dentition (teeth) but head and neck muscles.
If you have already had trouble with neck pain, it is a bit like the chicken and the egg, the area of the TM joint is an insertion point for many muscles of the neck and chewing and because of proximity they can really set each other off. This is really common in those of us who, as you said, carry our tension in the shoulder area.
Hope this helps!
I just wrote a post about this..
Last night while I was sleeping I woke up since my face hurt and realized that I had dislocated my jaw. Luckily it went back into its socket right away but it still is sore today.
My Ob said the same thing that it was due to the hormones relaxing my joints.
I feel your pain though.
Dana
I have mixed feelings about a fitted mouth gaurd...here is my storey
I suffered from random pressure headaches for a few years and my doctor never once mentioned TMJ. One morning on my way into work, i yawned and my jaw got stuck open for a few seconds. I went to my dentist and he recommended me to a TMJ specialist. The TMJ dentist made a bottom night guard for me ($750-Medical insurance covered $300). I wore the gaurd for a few weeks and one morning i woke up and couldn't fully open my mouth. I went to physically therapy for a few months and my opening gradually opened enough so i could insert 2 fingers. Fast forward 3 years later, my jaw is still "locked" and my limited opening is still at 2 knuckles. I have no pain (i never did) but i do have neck stiffness every once in a while.
So, that is why i am unsure about the gaurd. What if i didn't get one, would my jaw be able to open/function properly? Who knows...
My recommendation would be to NOT chew gum, eat anything sticky/hard, don't yawn really big, watch your posture (no forward head position while at the computer). Use heat if you have muscle tension and visit a chiropractor if you are having neck issues. Good luck!
It was actually BOTH my health and medical. It was medically necessary because I was getting HORRIBLE sinus headaches which were turning into migranes at least once weekly. I think the whole thing cost me $50 (which included my office visit).