Monday, August 30, 2010

splint: take two

The splint is improving. I played clarinet for a long while today (after taking the summer off hoping to help with jaw pain) and my jaw was quite sore and my head was throbbing - the instant I put the splint in at home my headache lessened.

I still don't like sleeping in it, but I don't wake up on the hour anymore. I do wake up more often because I feel like I'm choking - I'm still a mouth-breather about half the time and I've got wicked allergies right now - but I am able to go right back to sleep. I don't spit it out anymore, and my teeth don't ache when I wear it.

Until tonight, I haven't noticed a large difference in my jaw pain. Tonight I'm feeling quite a bit better with it in. My bite is very confused in the morning, but seems to settle an hour or so after I take it out. When I first remove it my front teeth bump like mad, but by breakfast I have a normal bite again - and the overbite hasn't made an appearance since the first few days with it in. My ROM is still the same - two fingers with some slight wiggle room.

I'm still not overly enthused about it - I'm not sure it's doing all the good it was supposed to. It's also giant and looks quite humorous in - I look like a linebacker. I'll post a picture as soon as I remember.

5 comments:

Sarah said...

Hey Steph! You're having to wear a splint again? I must have missed the post but why why why? After I got my braces out the first time(8th grade) I remember having to wear this giant upper retainer. It was like a mouthgaurd. It was suppose to help with my grinding. Has your overbite been coming back? I get my splint off next week and I don't want my overbite to come back! That would make me so sad! I hope things get better for you!

stephanie said...

Yeah, it's now my retainer - it looks like a giant mouthguard that my top and bottom teeth fit into (I'll put pictures in once I find my camera cord). I had a really rough jaw surgery and my case is SUPER prone to relapse due to muscle configuration- so they've planned on possibly having me in a splint since before jaw surgery. My bite is just fine, but right now they're trying to get rid of the last of my jaw pain - the splint positions my jaw in a way that relieves all of the muscle tension.

Kristin said...

Hey! I have this splint I have to wear too but I haven't even gotten braces yet! It sounds so much like what I have and it's helped a lot with my jaw pain, but i'm so anxious to get to the next step, but my orthodontist wants to keep waiiiiiting. I can't wait to see pics to see if it's like mine!

Steph said...

Yay I found you!!

yui said...

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I'll write soon.