I don’t know if there is such thing but I tried going to the dentist and he had my wisdom tooth on both sides extracted and it didn’t solve the problem.
My TMJ is getting worse and I would like to avoid it to be on the stage wherein I will have a lock jaw.
If you have TMJ, what did you do?
Do you have recommendations where to consult?
Or if you chose to self medicate, what did you do? Any recommended exercises or mouth guard?
4 comments
I’m not in Tokyo, so I can’t give you any specific dentist recommendations,
but I do have pretty severe TMJ myself.
I have a hard mouthguard I wear every night, which I was able to get from my local dentist for 5000 yen or so. I can’t remember the specific amount, but it definitely wasn’t expensive. I use a hard-type mouthguard now, but was originally given a soft-type one that wasn’t as effective for me. It may differ for you, of course.
I have also had to train myself to be super aware of how I hold my jaw and avoid clinching.
Sleeping on my side also greatly increases my daily pain in my jaw, so I try my best to sleep on my back… though I know I sleep more soundly on my side.
Unfortunately, there isn’t usually a single fix, so you’ll have to just try and find what works for you.
In a word… Yoga.
In several words, Yoga, Calisthenics, and the Gym.
I think the underlying cause of my TMJ was work-related stress. I’d seen dentists, doctors, and consultants and drew a blank. I thought I’d be popping painkillers for the rest of my life.
For general health reasons, I decided to go to the Gym. But I quickly got bored with the ‘picking up heavy things and putting them down again’ routine. So I got into Calisthenics and then Yoga.
The strength gains and muscle control of Calisthenics may have made some difference to my TMJ, but the most significant changes came from the Yoga classes.
For whatever reason it seems as though the focus, body control, and mental health side of Yoga (has for me at least) had an amazing impact on my miserable crippling TMJ.
Yes, I sometimes get short bouts of TMJ, but nothing like as bad as before.
Worth a try.
My dentist made me a night guard and it really helped my TMJ along with trying to reduce the underling causes , eg stress.
If you have TMJ problem, you have to go to an oral surgeon rather than a dentist in Japan.
If you tell me where you are, I’ll tell you a specific oral surgeon.