Does anyone know anything about TMJ syndrome?

About a week and half after going to the dentist my jaw popped and my husband took me to the emergency room. I found out I have TMJ syndrome. I have an appointment with an Oral Surgeon tomorrow. This is very scarry and painful. Does anyone know if this as a result of WLS? Thanks, Shabrenia (aka Bree)

It has nothing to do with WLS. My VERY thin friend has it and has had 2 surgeries on the mandibular joint to correct it. We have the same surgery date. Good luck on your TMJ. XOXOXO, Sharyn

Wow! Well I guess that's kinda good news. I'm actually thinking that my dentist pulled on my mouth a bit to hard. I was in a lot of pain after a cleaning. Thanks for responding. Shabrenia

Bree, TMJ can happen to anyone but seems to happen with age. I had problems in my late 20s and ended up having a bite plate (ortho piece that hooked over lower teeth) and then braces. Spent my 30th birthday in braces. But, it fixed the problem and I never have issues now except if I go to the dentist and have to hold my mouth open for long periods of time. A gal on the May 2005 surgery board has developed TMJ along with lots of other symptoms and she was just diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Her mom has it so there is a genetic component. Doctor thinks the WLS brought it out in her. Apparently, any surgery can trigger it if you are predisposed to it. Kathy

Oh my! Thanks for your response Kathy. That really is a lot of information. My mother also has fibromyalgia. I will be sure to talk to the oral surgeon about it tomorrow. I'm in pain right now and I've missed quite a bit of work from this. I was prescribed pergocet but I can't take it here and the xtra strength tylenol isn't enough. I really hope they are able to do something for me tomorrow. I've been dealing with this for two weeks now... I can't even get a good nights sleep because the pain wakes me up. Anyway... thanks! Shabrenia (aka Bree)

This is not from your surgery but as you thought from having your mouth open too long. I worked for an Oral surgeon before going to nursing school. So here are acouple things you can try first if you haven't already. Try to eat "soft foods" hard to do when going for protien first, LOL. NO gum or real chewy foods, use moist heat on the sides of your face then very gently stretch your jaws open. Use to moist heat for 10 minutes at least 5-6 times a day. Try this for about a week and you should start to feel better. Surgery on your TMJ is the last thing you want. Good luck

Thanks for responding Sandra. I wish someone would have told me this 2 weeks ago when it orginally occured. LOL! It's been heck dealing with it. It scared me so bad I had no idea what was happening to me. My husband thought I was having a stroke or something. I told my husband that the dentist told me I had a small mouth. LOL! of course he thought I was playing around. LOL! However, they really had a hard time doing the xrays and I couldn't open my mouth that wide. Then I had a deep cleaning and my mouth hurt very badly but nothing like it did when I had to go to the emergency room. Boy I tell ya... if it's not one things its definately another. Bree

Do you grind your teeth? I used to have a lot of trouble with my right side TMJ, and the dentist said that I grind my teeth. I sneezed years ago when my mouth was open, and heard a huge crack in that jaw joint, had muscle spasms all over the rigth side of my head. I had a bite guard made that I wore in bed. Eventually I had a heavy-duty one to wear at night and a thinner, smaller one that I could wear during the day. As the years have passed, I had my right lower wisdom tooth removed and my stress levels reduced, and I don't have much trouble anymore. I still have the bite guards and if I wake up in the morning with a sore jaw, I know I've been grinding again, so I go back to wearing the bite guard at night for a few days until it settles down. That jaw joint still pops when I open my mouth, and that joint is sore if I'm in the dentist's chair for an extended time. Good luck finding a solution, Sue O.

Hi Sue, Well, I've never been told that I grind my teeth. I probably do though since I've bitten my jaw in my sleep more than once. LOL! Were those guards expensive? Bree

Bree, I have TMJ, have had it for years. I had a bite guard which helped. I ended up with braces and have had verylittle pain if any in the last ten years. Braces could be the way to go. My teeh weren't crocked just needed to move my bite some to correct the issue. The bone in my right jaw is worn away. Good luck MaryLyn