night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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I am scheduled for this in a couple of weeks. I am not meeting with the actual surgeon until mid-July (about 1 week pre-op) and really have little idea what will need to be done.
First of all, I don't have the typical TMJ. I have severe degeneration of the TM joints due to trauma from a car accident in 1995 (face meets steering wheel TWICE due to multiple collisions from same accident--also broke my nose and put my teeth through my lip.) From what I understand, it is already bone-on-bone on one side and nearly so on the other. I have shattered the top molars on both sides (and I DO mean shattered--a total of 4 teeth, 2 on each side) from incessant and severe bruxism, which is not limited to sleeping. I grind my teeth during times of stress or anxiety, too, and it is subconscious. The damage to my teeth is extensive and also includes my front incisors. It has popped EVERY TIME I OPEN MY MOUTH OR MOVE MY JAW AT ALL since it was dislocated during the accident. I can insert only ONE finger between my top and bottom teeth at FULL EXTENSION. I cannot eat most "tall" foods (like burgers) and chewing CAN be painful--especially anything that requires extra chewing (like beef jerky.) My doctor recommended that I chew lots of gum about 6 months ago and it HAS helped with the pain to some degree. But my jaw and joints generally do not hurt. They will hurt with an especially bad popping of my jaw or I will wake up with severe inner ear pain or even have severe, episodic pain in all my top teeth (which I have been told has nothing to do with my teeth themselves.) But pain is not the primary reason for seeking treatment, nor would further narcotics help this issue and I refuse to use benzodiazepines. The left side now crunches when I move my jaw (it still pops, too, but now it sounds like I have sand in the joint) and I hear this deep in my left ear like you do when you eat potato chips or other loud, crunchy foods.
I am FINALLY getting this issue taken care of and am really looking forward to NORMAL or even IMPROVED mobility of my mandible and the returned ability to eat normally and talk normally and even see a dentist without needing general anesthesia so they can open my mouth wide enough to work on those back teeth. I was told I would have my jaw wired shut for 6 weeks post-op.
Has anyone actually had this surgery on both sides? What were the results?
Thanks in advance!
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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Crzystampr
Stranger
Reged: 05/26/04
Posts: 2
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I have had two bi-lateral TMJ surgeries and one orthognathic surgery (they restructured both my upper and lower jaw). My last TMJ surgery was in 1989, and I can say that my jaw has been stable and relatively pain-free since then. My situation wasn't due to an injury though. The most important thing is that you have a excellent oral surgeon who really understands and knows what they are doing. My doctor was the best. He has since retired, but I was his patient for ten years!
I didn't have alot of pain after any of the surgeries. It took a long time for the nerves to come back, but I had no lasting damage. With each surgery I was in the hospital for 6 days. Eating was a problem for a LONG time, but I just learned to live with it. I still have a limited opening, but it doesn't really affect my day-to-day living. I also went to a special physical therapist who only dealt with TMJ problems. That helped too. As far as medications, I took pain meds after surgery, but then just anti-inflamatory meds like Advil. The pain before the surgery, especially the last one, was so horrible that nothing helped anyway. The scars are not noticible at all. They do shave your hair a little if it is in front of your ears.
I know I have rambled on, but it sounds like you need this surgery very badly. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me directly at I wish you all the best. It was certainly worth it for me.
Connie
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Crzystampr
Stranger
Reged: 05/26/04
Posts: 2
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I forgot to add, I did have my mouth wired shut for 10 weeks after the orthognathic surgery. But they didn't do that with either of my TMJ surgeries. The wiring is a whole different experience, but I would be happy to give you any info you might want.
Have they given you a bite plate to wear at night? What kind of testing have they done to see what is left of your joints? Will they be removing the discs in the joints?
Even after all this time, I still have to have my teeth cleaned in two appointments because of the stress on the joints and the limited opening. But, this isn't such a big thing to me.
Please don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions.
Take care,
Connie
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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I had an MRI in 1996 and another just recently. They tried a mouth guard-like thing several years ago after my dentist heard the popping for himself, but I have difficulty with having anything in my mouth while I sleep or even a stuffy nose--causes severe panic (which I normally do NOT have trouble with) as I feel like my breathing is being impeded.
The last appointment consisted of a series of xrays, biting on carbon paper (don't know what they were doing with that) and even some kind of meter that tests the pressure of my bite at different points throughout my mouth.
I have really just more or less lived with it since the accident because the pain was only episodic. When my dentist announced back in December that he was now unable to access my back teeth (a substantial change since the last time I was in) due to the extension problems, he sent me to an oral surgeon--who started the ball rolling. The first oral surgeon said surgery was the only possible treatment option at this point and sent me off to the University hospital where they specialize in TMJ surgery (AND take my insurance.) I go there in several days. They will have the final word on the surgery, but I am assuming the oral surgeon has spoken with the hospital doctors about my case? Perhaps I shouldn't assume anything?
I will definitely email you after meeting with the University doctors when I have more understanding of what and when. THANKS for your help!
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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Tiger47
Member
Reged: 08/23/03
Posts: 102
Loc: Georgia
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Hi Night Shade,
I just recently had surgery to put my disc back into place. It had been out for about 3 years and was causing several problems including pain, couldn't open mouth wide and the right teeth would eventually fall out because of the stress of them touching down before the left side.
Just to help with any anziety you may be having, they have came a LONG WAY with dealing with TMJ. Most of the surgery can be done laposcopic (sp) The doc went in with two holes right in front of my ear to take a look around. He said that that is the ONLY way to know for sure what he would have to do during surgery. He really needed to know if the disc was in good enough shape to use or would he have to replace it with a new one. He was able to use mine so really all he had to do was put a new epoxy glue on mine and glue it back into place. He told me that MOST TMJ problems people have is because the ligament that holds the disc in place gets torn or strechted and the disc pops out of place. I did have to be admitted to the hospital for out patient surgery and be knocked out, but was released that same afternoon. I couldn't eat ANYTHING execpt liquids for two weeks then very soft for about three months. The best thing about this is he did not wire my mouth shut. He also said because of advancments in this field wiring of the jaws is not needed.
If you have any questions or just want to talk about it, let me know,
tiger47
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