TMJD or just a wonky tooth?

[ruberio]

I just pictured the whole thing and now I can't stop laughing! :lol:

i laugh at it now, he must have had his mouth wide open screaming as he flew over :green: hehe! xxx

 

[Chickafish]

:lol: :lol: My brothers would probably kill me for telling this story, but when they were like 3 they had the funniest "run-in" with each other. One was in the kitchen, and one was in the livingroom, and the 2 rooms were connected by a really long hallway. The power cut off from a really bad thunderstorm we were having and they both started running to each other. Next thing you know we heard a thump and the both of them crying. The lights came back on and we saw one with his hands covering his mouth, and one with teeth marks on his forehead. Too bad they never found it as funny as I have...

 

[ruberio]

:lol: :lol: My brothers would probably kill me for telling this story, but when they were like 3 they had the funniest "run-in" with each other. One was in the kitchen, and one was in the livingroom, and the 2 rooms were connected by a really long hallway. The power cut off from a really bad thunderstorm we were having and they both started running to each other. Next thing you know we heard a thump and the both of them crying. The lights came back on and we saw one with his hands covering his mouth, and one with teeth marks on his forehead. Too bad they never found it as funny as I have...

hahahaha, brothers, gotta love 'em!xxx

 

[Scissorz]

I think you are jumping the gun by wanting the wisdom tooth out, I would strongly recommend you go back to your dentist or seek a second opinion and ask for a 'bite wing' X-ray of the tooth and gum or better still am OPG xray to rule out possible infection or to see if the tooth has 'moved' due to over crowding in your mouth.

Dentists don't really remove wisdom teeth unless there is a clear track record of problems or chronic infections as they will not remove a healthy tooth unless they really have too.

As for your TMJ problem ask for a night guard (I have one it's amazing) I think they cost £209 on the NHS or free if you are exempt from NHS charges

I had all four wisdom teeth removed within a week of each other, as they caused me pain, before that I've always had no problems teeth wise, as far as the extracting goes Chika, the most painfull is the needles used to numb the gum, I didn't have any pain afterwards when the injection wares off other than slight jaw ache, hope you get it sorted, glad I got all mine done within a month

 

[Chickafish]

Thank you, Scissorz. It's like you've said. I've never had any problems with teeth or jaw pain til this tooth started rearing its ugly head in, so I guess it's only natural I somewhat suspect the tooth. Scary to think of what I'll feel when the other 3 pop in! I shall find out soon enough. The earliest appointment I was able to get is next week...

 

[Chickafish]

Update

Don't really see the need to start a new thread. There was a new dentist at the office and I am so glad she's there. She was very thorough and detailed, and found the answers to all my questions the previous dentist could not. So this is the situation...

The x-ray shows I have no upper wisdom teeth (whew), but the 2 bottom are impacted.

The right one is horizontally impacted and will not erupt, but she explained this is why my jaw clicks on that side when I open my mouth wide. I've always thought it was damage from a fight I had a long time ago :lol:

The left one is a bit more problematic. It's impacted at an angle and partially erupted, leaving a flap of gum over it, leaving room for a lot of yuckies to get trapped in there, therefore prone to infection if I don't keep it clean. It will not erupt any further due to the angle it's in, and there will be problems with it from time to time. I was given the option to have it removed, but the waiting period is currently 3 months, and because it's still so close to the jaw, there's the usual risk of fracture. (yikes). I decided to wait it out til my next appointment in 6 months and took antibiotics for 5 days.

As for the heavy pain in my jaw, it was due to teeth grinding. And Of course it's due to stress. She said getting a mouth guard was a bad idea at the moment because of the partially erupted tooth. The guard would not allow me to close my mouth all the way, drying out my gums. That would cause my gums to dry out and most likely swell from infection, which would be bad for the tooth. She said because my teeth are otherwise in excellent condition, I wouldn't have to worry about them grinding flat anytime soon.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I've still got a bit of time to consider having the little devil completely removed, but at the moment, it's not causing any serious problems. xx

 

[nicole333]

She sounds like she really knows her stuff Chicka, that can be so reassuring. So, about the stress....What are you going to do? :wink2:

 

[ruberio]

Update

Don't really see the need to start a new thread. There was a new dentist at the office and I am so glad she's there. She was very thorough and detailed, and found the answers to all my questions the previous dentist could not. So this is the situation...

The x-ray shows I have no upper wisdom teeth (whew), but the 2 bottom are impacted.

The right one is horizontally impacted and will not erupt, but she explained this is why my jaw clicks on that side when I open my mouth wide. I've always thought it was damage from a fight I had a long time ago :lol:

The left one is a bit more problematic. It's impacted at an angle and partially erupted, leaving a flap of gum over it, leaving room for a lot of yuckies to get trapped in there, therefore prone to infection if I don't keep it clean. It will not erupt any further due to the angle it's in, and there will be problems with it from time to time. I was given the option to have it removed, but the waiting period is currently 3 months, and because it's still so close to the jaw, there's the usual risk of fracture. (yikes). I decided to wait it out til my next appointment in 6 months and took antibiotics for 5 days.

As for the heavy pain in my jaw, it was due to teeth grinding. And Of course it's due to stress. She said getting a mouth guard was a bad idea at the moment because of the partially erupted tooth. The guard would not allow me to close my mouth all the way, drying out my gums. That would cause my gums to dry out and most likely swell from infection, which would be bad for the tooth. She said because my teeth are otherwise in excellent condition, I wouldn't have to worry about them grinding flat anytime soon.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I've still got a bit of time to consider having the little devil completely removed, but at the moment, it's not causing any serious problems. xx

if only more dentists were like this!never let her go lol. i'm glad you have managed to get this sorted lovie xxx

 

[Chickafish]

Thanks hun I'm glad it wasn't anything serious like a bad infection or whatever. A wonky tooth... I can live with that. xx

 

[ruberio]

Thanks hun I'm glad it wasn't anything serious like a bad infection or whatever. A wonky tooth... I can live with that. xx

when everything gets wonky, then you worry lol xxx

 

[Chickafish]

She sounds like she really knows her stuff Chicka, that can be so reassuring. So, about the stress....What are you going to do? :wink2:

Same thing I've been doing all this time. Take it as it comes one day at a time. I've got tough skin, and I'm resilient. If it ain't gonna kill me, I can handle it.

when everything gets wonky, then you worry lol xxx

hahaha! I guess I'll be a worry wart when I become an old lady then! EVERYTHING gets wonky and saggy by then! :Scared:

 

[Chickafish]

So... Fast forward to several weeks ago. I received a letter from the maxillo facial surgery department from my local hospital to go speak to a consultant. (It was the same doctor that saw me for my chin last year haha). Turns out the dentist I saw went ahead and put me on the waiting list even though I said I'd wait.

Did an x-ray. Showed that the left lower wisdom tooth was going to be a continuing problem due to it being partially exposed, and the risk of things getting caught in the flap. And the right one... in the EXACT same angle as the left so it was going partially erupt in the very same manner. I gave in and decided to have them both removed. Removing one and waiting for the other to come through to remove that as well is just stupid. I figured, if I'm going to be asleep for the whole procedure, just take them both out! (Glad I said both because last week the right one was starting to poke through, and it hurt like hell.)

Went to the pre-assessment, and found out they were really really close to 2 nerves. One for my lower lip, and the other for my tongue. I was warned if they become damaged, I'd feel tingling in those areas. Honestly, tingling is nothing compared to feeling like I've been punched in the jaw, so I said "Fine. Whatever. Let's do this!" Also found out I have a blood iron deficiency, anaemia, and low blood cell count but that story's for another day.

So here I am tonight, all swollen-faced, and tasting blood every time I drink/eat something. The whole thing was so weird, and the pain sneaks up on me when the drugs wear off, but I'm glad I did it. It was pretty useless having partial teeth anyway. Shame I wasn't able to see what they looked like. They don't let you keep them because of some type of hazard. (I wasn't really listening at that point cuz I was scared and shaking in my gown :lol: ) What I learned from all this- if your wisdom teeth are bugging you, don't wuss out- just get them removed. Why risk bacterial infection, and suffer through the pain they cause, even if it's every so often?