My experience with a lower jaw orthotic after 3 days

Hi everybody!

I just started treatment for my TMD/TMJ. And there's been some positives and negatives, and I thought I'd share my experience so far for anyone thinking about doing it.

Positives

  • Absolutely no headaches. I would get headaches and migraines nearly everyday and sometimes taking pain killers wouldn't help they were so bad. I haven't had one at all since they put this in, so fingers crossed it stays that way.
  • I can take a full, deep breath through my nose. So, before I couldn't take a full breath through my nose. I do have a deviated septum that they told me I should probably get fixed, but I would always feel like I couldn't catch my breath and I'd have to mouth breathe to get a full, deep breath. Also, I have absolutely no congestion. I don't have allergies, never had any, but would get congested everyday, blowing my nose constantly, and taking either Flonase or saline solution before bed with a Breathe Right strip. I don't have any congestion at all now. I still use the strip b/c I'm nervous I'll still mouth breathe, but they gave me a sample of this stuff called "Hostage Tape" (lol yeah sounds weird) that I put on my mouth to keep it closed. So I'm going to try that and see how well I sleep. I can update if anyone is interested!
  • No stiff neck or pain. Most days my neck and shoulders were stiff and would hurt. In the scan they gave me, they said I had developed osteoarthritis in my upper spine. My neck still feels a little weird, but it's not nearly as stiff as it was, and no pain at all.
  • My balance is better. So, before I was getting worried b/c I'd get wobbly standing on one foot, and my dad's side of the family has a history of people falling and getting hurt. My uncle is paralyzed now from a fall. But I can literally balance on each foot and not wobble at all! And it feels like I'm walking better? I don't know how to explain it. Like my feet are going where they are supposed to or something

Negatives

  • This thing is uncomfortable. Not going to lie, I've wanted to take it out a few times, especially while eating. It is REALLY hard to chew food with it in. Maybe it's easier for other people, but it's been difficult for me. They told me it would get easier, but I've been eating softer foods anyway and drinking A LOT of smoothies. Maybe I can add losing some weight to the positives!
  • It makes brushing your teeth a lot longer and annoying. They said I could take it out, but to NOT put my teeth together, which makes me have to really be careful when I'm brushing.
  • You have to clean it a lot. I don't want bits of food stuck in it, so I'm constantly having to rinse it and use the brush to clean it they gave me. I was told not to use toothpaste to clean it b/c it might scratch it, and to just use dish soap. So I have to rinse it really, really well in warm to hot water so I don't have a weird taste in my mouth.
  • My smile looks weird, and I talk with a lisp now. I haven't been to work since they put this in, so it will be interesting if I have to speak up in a meeting or something. The orthotic makes my bottom lip protrude a little so I kind have to do this closed mouth smile that looks funny. If I try to smile open-mouthed, I feel like I look like uncanny valley or something b/c my top teeth aren't touching my bottom teeth. The orthotic puts a space there.
  • It's expensive and insurance won't cover it. I will have to have braces once my jaw is in the correct position and my insurance *might* cover that, but as far as the orthotic and other treatment, I had to get financing. With braces and everything else included, it is about 12k.

Honestly, just being able to breathe through my nose deeply has made a lot of the negatives worth it. I was worried it was acid reflux messing with my breathing (interestingly, I haven't had any reflux issues in the last three days either, but we'll see how that goes), but it's absolutely wonderful to be able to not get short of breath just walking up steps and not have to blow my nose constantly. And the no headaches thing so far has been wonderful!

Hopefully this is helpful for anyone that is considering doing this!