i had tmj for about 2 yrs...really bad..couldnt chew without pain..my oral surgeon made me a splint and weaned me off it over a period of about 4 months..the mri showed the disc was not capturing on my right side when i extended my jaw..i have no idea how i got this problem..i now have a soft bite guard i wear at night and ive been free of pain for about 2 yrs...one thing that helped was switching from the david clark clamshells to the telex headsets..seems that they place a LOT less pressure on the jaw and it was worth every penny ...im now pain free and didnt need surgery.
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Pain in the jaw
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panama_gringo
Future Owner in Training
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Hi,
My business is diagnostic equipment for sleep disorders with sleep apnea and bruxism being two major areas. In short, I live this stuff and work with some of the best doctors and dentists in the world.
Jaw pain can mean a variety of problems. TMJ is nothing to fool around with. many dentists are not capable of dealing with TMJ and bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching) since they are more interested in drilling and filling.
Anytime you are doing anything that may affect your bite (cheap mouthguards come to mind) you may be setting yourself up for a lot of problems. Bottom line -- Find a TMJ specialist to handle jaw pain.
Little known fact -- Bruxism can be caused by sleep apnea. The grinding seems to be the brain's way of opening the airway. Small percentage of patients but still, it is worth considering.
Bruxism is usually indicated by teeth wear, sensitive teeth, morning jaw pain or headaches, cracked teeth or fillings and chipped teeth. The problem is that dentists usually have to wait for damage to a tooth to make a diagnosis.
There is only one non-subjective test outside of a sleep lab that will confirm bruxism -- the BiteStrip. See the following website for more information on bruxism and the product:
www.bitestrip.com
Questions? Fire away.
My business is diagnostic equipment for sleep disorders with sleep apnea and bruxism being two major areas. In short, I live this stuff and work with some of the best doctors and dentists in the world.
Jaw pain can mean a variety of problems. TMJ is nothing to fool around with. many dentists are not capable of dealing with TMJ and bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching) since they are more interested in drilling and filling.
Anytime you are doing anything that may affect your bite (cheap mouthguards come to mind) you may be setting yourself up for a lot of problems. Bottom line -- Find a TMJ specialist to handle jaw pain.
Little known fact -- Bruxism can be caused by sleep apnea. The grinding seems to be the brain's way of opening the airway. Small percentage of patients but still, it is worth considering.
Bruxism is usually indicated by teeth wear, sensitive teeth, morning jaw pain or headaches, cracked teeth or fillings and chipped teeth. The problem is that dentists usually have to wait for damage to a tooth to make a diagnosis.
There is only one non-subjective test outside of a sleep lab that will confirm bruxism -- the BiteStrip. See the following website for more information on bruxism and the product:
www.bitestrip.com
Questions? Fire away.
I spent some time being a ginna pig for a dental student. *That* was a learning experience. The current dental student classes are being taught that 'air pockets' under fillings don't exist. Their reason for pain after a flight is 'the change in altitude'. I confirmed the teachings with the professors. Then, I let my student know the profs were full of it, having once nearly gone into shock from the pain after a flight due to an 'air pocket' under a loose filling. That was a fun root canal.
A few months previous, I'd had problems after a flight that a dentist thought was wisdom teeth problems. It wasn't -- the wisdom teeth were causing pressure on the loose filling up front, in the tooth that later needed the root canal. The wisdom teeth removal only temporarily solved that problem.
TMJ can be a cause of jaw pain, same with:
Sinus problems
Allergies (even to a food caught between the teeth!)
the previously mentioned Bruxism, although the cracked teeth can have deep cavities
cavities under fillings
loose fillings (the ones put in as kids do corrode and wear out)
David Clamps or other tight headsets causing pressure on the ear or jaw
Eyeglass stems that don't fit right
Ear problems, infections, water in the ear, and so on
Clenching one's teeth from stress (at night, ever dream about your job, and the associated desire to choke the living daylights out of the [pick one: Captain/FO/FA/PAX/Dispatcher/FE/Controller/CFI/MGMT/Union guys/idiot in the rice rocket that just cut you off/weather dude/scheduler/kids/spouse/girlfriend/guyfriend/student/bill collector/etc]
Muscle spasms in the neck (working out too hard, the oh BLEEP! traffic call, too many hours on flightinfo)
Broken jaw (ever fall out of bed or tick off the girlfriend?)
A dislocating jaw (subluxation) - can be really fun if it stays out for a while then snaps back in
Start with the DDS. If no fix, try the AME (call for advice first), then an ENT (ear-nose-throat).
For all those that hate going to the dentist, keep in mind that some of them are pilots, and those pilots have to see a flight instructor every two years at a minimum. So what do I tell my DDS/flight student before he starts doing anything? "Remember, paybacks are a b*tch."
A few months previous, I'd had problems after a flight that a dentist thought was wisdom teeth problems. It wasn't -- the wisdom teeth were causing pressure on the loose filling up front, in the tooth that later needed the root canal. The wisdom teeth removal only temporarily solved that problem.
TMJ can be a cause of jaw pain, same with:
Sinus problems
Allergies (even to a food caught between the teeth!)
the previously mentioned Bruxism, although the cracked teeth can have deep cavities
cavities under fillings
loose fillings (the ones put in as kids do corrode and wear out)
David Clamps or other tight headsets causing pressure on the ear or jaw
Eyeglass stems that don't fit right
Ear problems, infections, water in the ear, and so on
Clenching one's teeth from stress (at night, ever dream about your job, and the associated desire to choke the living daylights out of the [pick one: Captain/FO/FA/PAX/Dispatcher/FE/Controller/CFI/MGMT/Union guys/idiot in the rice rocket that just cut you off/weather dude/scheduler/kids/spouse/girlfriend/guyfriend/student/bill collector/etc]
Muscle spasms in the neck (working out too hard, the oh BLEEP! traffic call, too many hours on flightinfo)
Broken jaw (ever fall out of bed or tick off the girlfriend?)
A dislocating jaw (subluxation) - can be really fun if it stays out for a while then snaps back in
Start with the DDS. If no fix, try the AME (call for advice first), then an ENT (ear-nose-throat).
For all those that hate going to the dentist, keep in mind that some of them are pilots, and those pilots have to see a flight instructor every two years at a minimum. So what do I tell my DDS/flight student before he starts doing anything? "Remember, paybacks are a b*tch."
Interesting that I came across this thread. A couple nights ago, I noticed that my jaw clicked a little when I moved it from side to side. I understand this is nothing really serious, since it's very common. For whatever reason though, I woke up the next morning with a very stiff jaw. It's still stiff as hell right now, but I can eat and talk fine and have full range of motion. It's not even pain really, just a bit of an ache.
Really annoying, though. Thank god it doesn't affect my flying any. Anyone have this?
Really annoying, though. Thank god it doesn't affect my flying any. Anyone have this?
Well, the ache is gone today, but the stiffness is still there. I have seen an improvement since yesterday, so I'm going to see if things improve. If it's still bugging me next week, I'll make sure to go see a doctor (or dentist).
panama_gringo
Future Owner in Training
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2005
- Posts
- 17
Metro752
5
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2004
- Posts
- 4,872
my girlfriend has this, for real, im talkin to her on the phone right now she say quit bring a sissy and get over it, ololololololo
panama_gringo
Future Owner in Training
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2005
- Posts
- 17
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