Jaw and Ear Pain

Message

#1 Post by **monac** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:41 am

I just got my braces on July 17th and after the initial annoyance of tender teeth, biting cheeks, and canker sores, I am more or less used to them.

The one thing that is still bothering me though is that my jaws seem to be really messed up. My left ear and jaw often hurt and I've got lots of knots on my left cheek, neck, shoulder. I take the time to massage them out which does give some relief but especially since yesterday eating and chewing seems to throw my jaws off alignment again and the pain in the left ear/jaw returns.

I just read the Tales of Woe section on this site and it's sort of freaking me out!

Anyone else experience something like this? Oh and I also have a bit of that sunken in face look now.

#2 Post by **purpleteeth** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:13 pm

The jaw issues are more than likely related to your bite changing, which is normal when you first get braces. Your bite will continue to change and adjust throughout braces.

Some of the pain might also be caused by your teeth not moving together just quite yet. It took my jaws about 8weeks before the aching went away or at least calmed down. The ortho told me it is because it can take 6-8weeks for the jaw to start regenerating the bone so that the teeth move more "together". I completely understand this now because in the beginning, it felt like a different tooth was hurting everyday -- almost like they took turns! This made my jaw just ache...

In terms of the ear and jaw pain together, it might be related to TMJ. Do you have it or are you being treated for it? I do, which is the main reason behind my braces. My jaw bothers me constantly and they keep on telling me to hang in there, then they tweek something, and the pain comes and goes. Advil or other anti-inflamitories should help for TMJ pain, but consult your ortho to make sure this is what is acutally causing it.

#3 Post by **monac** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:34 am

Hi and thank you! I haven't officially been diagnosed with TMJ but all my symptoms previous to braces point to it. The main thing that bothers me and the reason why I got braces was for dizziness/imbalance which might be related to my crossbite/misaligned teeth, etc.

The ear pain though, is new and only appeared towards the end of my expanders treatment and on and off now that I've started wearing the braces.

I understand what you mean about a different tooth hurting every day...I feel something similar and am glad I'm not alone with all these strange things I'm feeling!

Since you have TMJ, do you also have the dizziness?

#4 Post by **lueyfufu** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:39 am

For what it's worth, I suddenly started having ear pain a couple days ago. I stopped expanding on Wednesday of last week, and the pain started on Monday of this week. I assumed it was from getting water in my ear while swimming over the weekend. It never occurred to me that it might be related to tooth/jaw issues.

#5 Post by **monac** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:21 am

Hi! Well..if you were experiencing the Ear pain before you went swimming, then it could be your jaws adjusting to the expanders.

It's so hard to tell sometimes!! Hopefully your ear pain goes away soon!

#6 Post by **lueyfufu** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:10 am

It's already subsided, thank goodness.

It's so funny - all the little aches and twinges and such that you learn to ignore suddenly become a possible crisis after you start having tooth/jaw work done. "Whoa, what was that weird feeling in my scalp? Did something go wrong?? Is the expander expanding my whole skull?!!!"

Sometimes I'm a little paranoid and maybe overreact just a teensy bit.

#7 Post by **KittyKat99** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:40 am

Hey,

just reading your thread and wondering what TMJ is?