Please research TMJ before getting braces!

[Julie]

If you are considering getting braces, PLEASE research TMJ before you get them. At least talk to your orthodontist about it, and if he blows it off saying it's no big deal, then PLEASE find a new orthodontist. Find one that understands the possible problems that may occur. You may not even know you have TMJ until the disturbance of having your mouth open and pressure applied to insert spacers or braces activates it.

That is what happened to me and I spent 3 months in pure pain hell because I had an orthodontist that did not believe in TMJ and would not listen to me when I told him what was going on. I was having daily migraines that only got worse as time went on and adjustments were made. I lost a month and a half of work. I developed an ulcer from all the pain meds I was taking. I lost my entire summer, including cancelling two trips (one of which cost me over $300 just in cancellation fees), all because I had an orthodontist that would not listen to me.

If you have braces and you feel your pain is excessive. Tell your orthodontist. If he/she won't listen to you get another opinion. NEVER ever except that extreme pain is NORMAL when you have braces, and don't let your orthodontist try to tell you that extreme pain that onsets around the same time your braces (or spacers) go in is just normal pain because your teeth are moving. Sure there is always some pain initially when you have braces, and you may even have some headaches right after adjustments, but you should not be in constant daily pain month after month.

If you'd like to read my story, I have posted it in my blog here. If you have questions about what I went through ask. After all of this, I've made it my mission to make people aware of this risk. When I first started researching I didn't know it was TMJ and I just researched "braces and headaches" and found so very little information. When I finally found out it was TMJ and started researching, I found a lot more information.

[Zoso]

The relationship between TMD (temporomandibular disorder) and braces is ill-understood, even by the professionals. Sometimes having braces can make TMD worse, and sometimes it can make it better, If you already suffer from TMD, yes, you absolutely must make sure that this is something you discuss with the orthodontist before starting treatment - and realise that some orthodontists will not be willing to start treatment if you do suffer from TMD.

Discomfort in the teeth and gums is pretty much normal when undergoing orthodontic treatment, but pain in the jaw muscles and especially in the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) bears closer scrutiny. It's certainly possible that as the bite is shifted during treatment you can experience periods of time where the jaw joints and jaw muscles become achy due to the forces they are under. As the bite improves, this should be alleviated. However, if the pain is more intense, or if it persists, it's certainly worth discussing with your orthodontist.

Julie, it's terrible that your orthodontist made light of such debilitating pain. I wholeheartedly agree with your advice that if someone should find themselves in a similar situation, and their ortho similarly dismisses their concern, they should most strongly consider seeking a second opinion.

[coolestSamantha]

Wow that's awful.It was very unprofessional of your orthodontist to ignore your problems. Its part of his job to try to help you. I never knew about any of this stuff. Thank you for informing me! I will definatly pass down this information to all the people I know who are getting braces soon. Now I have to do a little research.
P.S. Your OK now right?