TMJ & Orthognathic Surgery
Well, it's late or I'd write about the StandWithUs program I partook in on Sunday. I want to make sure to give it justice so I will be doing that blog earlier in the next day or two. I apologize to those who were expecting to read it on Sunday night.
Anyway, on to my jaw... As most of my family knows, I have TMJ. I finally went to an orthodontist the other morning for a consultation, and below are the results. My next step is to get a second opinion. They never hurt.
The orthodontist I went to see was Dr. Shaw (of Drs. Shaw and Ginzler in Livonia), a nice Jewish doctah. They took digital pics and x-rays to look at my jaw from all angles. Apparently, there's a lot wrong with my jaw, not so much with my teeth... It all starts with the TMJ.
My teeth line up relatively well, but only when my jaw is pushed back. That is what causes the TMJ. My jaw wants to be forward; that's where it does not pop and make noise. Anyway, when my lower jaw moves forward, I'll have an underbite. How far forward it ends up determines my next move.
Based on my x-rays and pictures and tests of my jaw, Dr. Shaw is estimating that my jaw will end up pretty far foward. This is also due to the length of my jaw. My lower jaw bone is very long - too long. It is larger than my top jaw and is too big for my head. A hardy har har for those who always felt I had a big mouth. :D
Moving on. The first step is a splint so we can figure out where my jaw will go (8-10 months). The next step is for them to re-straighten my teeth (4-6 months). Then the fun part. They actually have to perform orthognathic surgery. In layman's terms (boy am I learning a lot about dentistry and orthodontistry), they have to take out a part of my lower jaw on each side so that my jaw is the proper size and in the proper place.
Then I recuperate for a bit and I think they then make sure all my teeth end up in the right place. All in all, it won't be more than 24 months. Pretty short considering!
I pretty much have to do this (if the second opinion comes back the same). My jaw is only going to get worse, and I already have jaw tension all the time and it pops on both sides every time I open my mouth. I get headaches, tinnitis, vertigo, and clench from stress all the time (which doesn't help). Fortunately, in the x-ray, my jaw joint is not shredded from TMJ... yet. So if this is my option, I want to start it already to get this fixed already. I know my jaw will feel SO much better afterwards.
I also think that Dr. Shaw is pretty on the mark. Everything he said reflected what I feel in my jaw. So we'll see what happens.
I was freaking out slightly when I first got the news. Then mom calmed me down a little and Avi calmed me down some more. Then I was okay with it - until I looked up orthognathic surgery and post-operation details for this surgery this afternoon. Probably a bad idea. Yea....
I will update as this progresses but that's where I am right now.