Lock Jaw (Trismus) FAQ's at Ask The Dentist in Dental Health Directory

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FAQ: Lock Jaw (Trismus)

Oral Surgery Resources
Neuromuscular Dentists

Question:
I have had Lock Jaw for about a year now. Almost every morning I wake up with it and it takes a few hours for it to fix itself. I notice that I have blinding headaches when this occurs.They seem to be brought on by stress. My question is: How do I get rid of this problem without surgery or expensive treatments? I am strapped for cash (which is causing my stress). Please help! ...Visitor from CA

Answer:
One thing is for sure, you need treatment. Never go to a surgeon for this problem. Seek out one of the few TMJ dentists who treat lockjaw. It will cost about a thousand dollars, but it is far better than the alternative.

Basically, we use 2 types of splints, the upper type put added pressure on the joint but relieves the jaw muscles. The other type fits on the lower back teeth and is called a pivotal appliance. It relieves the pressure on the joint.

This allows joints that have "lost" their disc to heal. The healing takes awhile, up to a year. The "new disc" that forms is histologically identical to a TMJ disc. We get most of our patients to the point where they can stand significant biting forces without pain and then we proceed with surgery, if necessary.

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