My ear infection actually turned out to be...

**MomToTwoBoys** · 10-05-2009, 11:34 PM

TMJ.

I've been experiencing on and off pain in my ears for the last two years. It was impeding my hearing, sore, tender to the touch and gives me headaches that I can't stomach sometimes. I went to the doctor today and he looked in my ears. Of course, no infections or anything but when he pressed on my ear and pulled it back, it hurt. He put his fingers in the area where my upper and lower jaw meet and when I opened my mouth, it hurt.

He said that my best bet is to contact a dentist about getting the TMJ repaired. I talked to my mother about it tonight and her dentist also told her she had TMJ, which the one solution they gave her was to have her jaw broken and then set into place with her mouth wired shut. When I was in the Marine Corps and going to the dentist, they also told me the same thing. I figured that it was a fluke.

Honestly, I'm freaked out. It's not a cost thing; it's a pain tolerance thing. I know it has to be repaired and the one thing keeping me from calling a dentist tomorrow morning is the fear of having my jaw wired shut for any point of time.

Any advice?

**mauimagic** · 10-05-2009, 11:44 PM

MTTB - I'm glad that you found out the cause of your pain. going to a dentist does not mean that you have to have any procedures done until you are ready. You need a lot more infomation - recovery time, pain, what the whole thing will look and feel like. Have the dentist recommend people who have gone through the process so you can talk with them.

Hang in there and breathe. It's all going to be okay. Take care of this on your terms and let us know what is happening please.

**kaurand554** · 10-05-2009, 11:51 PM

I agree; you can call dentist and "confirm" the diagnosis; and then prepare for "it" should it be necessary.....

I know nothing about this particular surgery, but I would have to think that in the years that have passed; something must have evolved......the procedure, healing time..... etc....

big hugs; but I would do a consult for nothing other than research if you are not ready........

**Luckybustert** · 10-06-2009, 12:24 AM

So sorry you're in pain, but glad your on the path to getting it taken care of. Some advice I once got from a friend was "feel the fear and do it anyway".....not sure if you'll find that as helpful as I did, but I'm hoping you will

**frugalfranny** · 10-06-2009, 12:34 AM

Sorry you are going through this MTTB....but I hope you can get it taken care of soon.

See what the dentist says and let us know how you are doing.

Good luck.........hope you are on the path to mending soon.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 10-06-2009, 01:05 AM

Thanks everyone.

It's silly to be so afraid of something like this, especially since I've been through worse. I feel like I should put my shoulder issues on hold and have this taken care of because to be honest, I can't deal with two major surgeries in such a short period of time. The shoulder issue is another thing in of itself, but I can put that off to get this taken care of first. I'd rather walk around with a bad arm than have to deal with any more facial pain.

I'll be going through the dental registry and seeing who many people feel is the best one to seek help with. I also have to find out if DH's dental coverage through work covers this since it's a medical condition and cannot be avoided. It's not like it's elective or cosmetic surgery or anything.

I'll keep everyone updated and see where I stand after I do some more searching.

**Sassyclass** · 10-06-2009, 04:51 PM

Sorry you are in so much pain. Don't assume the worst. Not eveyone with TMJ has to have their jaw broken, there are many treatments and your dentist will know what your options will be. They will probably start with x-rays or even an MRI, then go from there. Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

Cat

**Debbie-cat** · 10-06-2009, 04:59 PM

Okay...jaw broken!!!!! Crazy advice man!!! My ex-husband had TMJ....he started seeing a chiropractor who would adjust the jaw. He went 2 times per week for about 6 months. Hasn't had pain since.

Look at other options...jaw broken seems a little drastic to me.

Good luck and keep us informed. ((hugs))

**zakity** · 10-06-2009, 11:02 PM

Yep, look into the chiro thing.

Also, what is your issue? Mine was because my lower jaw was too small. I had a herbst and that fixed it, well, fixed it as much as it could. Since the bone sat in the jaw joint for so long at the wrong angle, it is deformed and won't ever be right.

Herbts:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...a%3DX%26um%3D1

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...a%3DX%26um%3D1

I go to Dischinger (who when I had the herbst put on had either written or co-written everything on it).

Beak just got a herbst put on Friday. He has the same jaw thing that I did. But, since we are catching it young, he shouldn't have the issues that I do. Actually, the one he had put on I can't find a picture of. It is the newest one that they put out. It is so new that they didn't have a sample to show us when we were in the office.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 10-16-2009, 10:58 AM

I went through my old dental record last night and found a paper that was from an orthodontist evaluation in 2005. Back then, they diagnosed me with skeletal dysplacia and malocclusion. I also have an excessive overjet and overbite. I'm wondering if these are contributing to my jaw problems.

Nevertheless, my entire face feels like someone's punched it nowadays. If we're moving in the Spring, I don't want to suck money out of moving to get this done.

But now I'm left with wondering what in the world is actually wrong with my mouth. I remember when I was in the Marine Corps and the dental department told me I'd have to have my jaw broken and rewired. I wonder if that's for the skeletal dysplacia and malocclusion. When I look up malocclusion on WebMD.com, this is what I get:

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/tc/...tment-overview

Orthognathic surgery treats malocclusion ("poor bite") by restructuring the jaw through cutting the bone and repositioning the bone segments.
Adults who have jaw-related malocclusion are sometimes offered a choice between simple orthodontic treatment and orthodontic treatment combined with orthognathic surgery. Adults who have severe jaw problems may need surgery to improve their looks and how the jaw works. Severe jaw problems can include upper jaws that don't match with the lower jaws.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons or plastic surgeons perform this surgery using general anesthesia. Recovery takes several weeks. While the bone slowly heals, the jaw is held in place with wires or plates and screws.
The most common problem after this surgery is numbness of the upper or lower lip (paresthesia). Other risks include infection, bleeding (hemorrhage), swelling, muscle spasm, and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
For most people, orthognathic surgery is elective, based on personal choice. Because orthognathic surgery requires a long and difficult recovery period, you should carefully weigh the benefits against the hardship and expense of the surgery.
For those few people who also have serious functional problems, such as problems with chewing or closing the mouth, orthognathic surgery may be a necessity.

*sigh*

So yeah, that's where that stands. That's going to drive me nuts now.

**zakity** · 10-17-2009, 12:01 AM

**hugs** Sorry...

**Ceashels** · 10-17-2009, 06:28 AM

I would go through all the conservative and non invasive treatments first!!!

If you go to a surgeon, most likely they will recommend surgery because that is how they know to fix things. The temporo-mandibular joint is incredibly complex in its mechanics and even things like a bite guard can throw the alignment off.

I have been to seminars specifically for TMJ dysfunctions and there are many options to try first. I've heard too many horror stories of people who have had surgery then required many many more to correct what the surgery did. You need to find out all your options. You need to find someone with a track record... a good one!

I wish you the best of luck. Do your research. Try the conservative route first.