Is TMJ helped with having false teeth?

I have suspected TMJ Temporal Mandible Jaw Pain, has anyone had it and have they been helped by getting false teeth, i had all my big teeth pulled out on the side that is affected, top and bottom as it felt like i had tooth ache.


I have to wait ages to get the false teeth, should i ask my gp to refer me to a private doctor (wich will cost money)or wait and see if the false teeth help.





I have seen a doctor at the local hospital, he said it was mygraines, it is not, i have had this for over 3 years.





Any help would be great.

Is TMJ helped with having false teeth?
TMJ problems are life long problems that are managed not treated. In most cases a distinct clicking or popping sound is generated in the jaw joing under your ear.





In the late 70's and early 80's TMJ surgury was all the rage. However, in most cases symptoms never got better, or returned even worse years later. Some unfortunate people even were left permanently disfigured





Today the most common treatment is managment of the factor that are causing sever pain episodes:


Treatment includes


1. Hot %26amp; cold compresses


2..reduction in repetative jaw movement.


3. Braces or surgury





In some desperate cases they still follow through with braces and even jaw surgury to correct the bite. The hope being that if you bring the bite into harmony with the joint the joint will pop less. ( I don't know what the success of this aproach is) However in my experience with a handfull of TMJ it has been minimal.





As far as your situation, you will not know if it will help until your dentures are made. I would be a bit concerned that your TMJ problem if any would be cause by your compensation for your lack of teeth when chewing. Also your expectation that dentures will cure your pain may be offset by a host of new problems associated with DENTURES. Such as looseness, the inability to bite hard, and a sense of fullness the dentures will put in your mouth.





If you do suffer from migraines associated with your temporalis muscle and not generated from the TMJ(Temporal Mandibular joint) technically you have muscle spasm from (parafunction) or altered chewing pattern and not true TMJ disfunction.





Hope it helps


good luck
Reply:My brother and I suffer from TMJ from time to time. He has it worse than I, however. I have never heard of getting false teeth helping. Sorry to say, but it's a jaw problem not a tooth problem. I know it feels like a tooth ache sometimes. I do know that having dental work done aggravates TMJ because you have to sit with your mouth open for long periods of time.


You need to see a dentist and if he can't help you, ask him to refer you on to a TMJ specialist. Unfortunately, there isn't much they can really do for TMJ. They can do jaw surgery but that is very rare because it doesn't help very much. Good luck.
Reply:TMJ problems and pain is usually caused by clenching. Your muscles go into a spasm and this can be very painful. YOu probably clench at night and not knowing it. Is your teeth sensitive? If they are you are clenching (the enamel will fall away and dentine become exposed)Getting false teeth in my opinion will not be very help full if you are a clench er. Ask your dentist for a bite plate. Its sure to do the trick.