TMJ, or Temporomandibular joint disorder, involves problems with the chewing muscles and joints in the lower jaw. The pain can be caused by grinding of the teeth and a bad bite. I honestly didn't know I had TMJ until a few years ago, or I forgot about it. Trust me I have a bad memory. Because of my TMJ I have difficulty chewing certain foods. Tough meat is especially difficult for me to chew. I'm a singer and sometimes while I am singing my jaw locks. If that happens I usually have to work it out if I have a few measures, or I have to stop to work it out and start where I left off. When I'm acting sometimes my jaw locks, but then I can take a dramatic or comedic pause. TMJ is incredibly painful for me at times, especially in the winter. I have noticed this winter that the pain is more intense than in the summer. Also, I read online that TMJ is associated with fibromyalgia, which I also have. I don't know if that's true because not a lot is know about the causes of fibromyalgia, but almost everything I have I have read is associated with it. Obviously I don't know for sure. I am just going by what I read. My orthodontist gave me exercises that work a little, but he really wants me to get a mouth guard for night time. The problem is that even though the guard is for a medical problem, the insurence will not pay for it because they claim it's cosmetic. No one in my dentists office seems to agree. I don't understand how something that is to help improve or cure a proven medical problem is seen as cosmetic. Teeth whitening, braces, or retainers I can see as cosmetic. I don't see how TMJ is. I am a full time college student working part time, so I can't pay for the mouth guard. If the insurence won't cover it then I can't get it. I don't know what other options I have, but if I have to pay for them I can't get them or have them done. I'm not suprised that an insurence company calls a medical problem cosmetic. Too bad they're wrong like always. Oh, well it's not like it's going to kill me. Unless it gets to a point where I can't eat anything. If that happens I can always blend my food. YUCK!
Keep Livin'
Kayla Dawn
here's a link with information about TMJ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001227.htm
