I had braces when I was younger, so my teeth are straight. I always get compliments on my smile. But, I have a lot of jaw pain. I clench during the day and grind bad at night. The mouth guards help, but I still end up with pain from the mouth guards. Not to mention it is not the most comfortable or attractive thing to wear.
I also cannot chew anything with my front teeth. I cannot bite anything with my front teeth. They do not close. So sandwiches, pizzas, burgers, I have to cut up or tear apart with my fingers. While this is a slight annoyance, it was not my entire reason for the surgery.
I talked to someone else, and there is this feeling, that you can tell your jaw does not align. You know it does not feel right. I do not know how to explain to any other way. The surgeon thought I would not have to wear my night guard anymore. That was a huge reason for me to want to do it, as well as comfort. I want my jaw to feel right.
After reading your experiences, I'm thinking that my daughter should probably see a doctor since she has headaches from grinding her teeth almost constantly. As a teenager she tried sleeping with a mouth guard prescribed by her dentist but it invariably ended up in the floor each night. I realize now that her problem could be a jaw out of alignment.
ReplyDeleteCynthia Bowers @ Bay Area TMJ & Sleep Center