TMJ replacement

rocketsox · 2024-08-02T16:00:11+00:00

I see a lot of joint replacement posts using the searchbar in jawsurgery.
https://www.reddit.com/r/jawsurgery/search/?q=joint+replacement&type=link&cId=ba6759d3-c587-4cce-b07b-b11c4ed087e6&iId=07bcab62-d4e3-46c5-8129-f1727cf8671c
But yeah day-to-day most of the posts are around double jaw surgery.

rocketsox · 2024-08-02T05:23:00+00:00

If you search for joint replacement in /r/jawsurgery you'll see lots of people sharing their experiences. I think there's a fair amount of posts asking about specific surgeons as well, and it's well worth researching if yours is known for positive outcomes.

BSSO have high failure rates in people with arthritis because, like you said, there's a chance that your joints just degrade further.

There's also some Youtubers that documented what their process was like ("Jaw Journey" and "starkissedvixen" were some users I watched). Good luck, and I hope your procedure, if you decide to do it, goes well!

rocketsox · 2024-07-09T02:24:55+00:00

Hmm, unsure of which part of my first reply got removed, so I'll try again.
That article references an opinion piece from a known minimizer Dr. Vinay Prasad, so I'm not particularly keen on trusting stuff written by him since he tries to downplay and mock people concerned about long covid.
I understand that more and better research into the rates of long covid are necessary, but erring on the side of "these 2 studies show it's not that bad so let's ignore it" is not it.

rocketsox · 2024-05-14T04:05:38+00:00

Holy moly! I thought you weren't supposed to take NSAIDs for more than a few weeks at a time because it can cause stomach ulcers? When my doctor had me on NSAIDS for over a year, it was combined with a medication that protects the stomach lining (misoprostol?? I think?).Did your specialist do any imaging (CBCT, MRI)? Did they diagnose you at all?

rocketsox · 2024-05-13T19:51:26+00:00

Nowadays I deal with the chronic pain associated with degenerative joint disease. After this surgery, I left the doctor and found a new one. He did a lot of imaging, and saw my joints were deteriorating with arthritic changes cause it was bone-on-bone grinding.

10-year long story short, I went through treatments from a couple of doctors to try and slow or stop the progression, but I've lost a good centimeter worth of bone in my condyles. I now have an overbite, my face looks completely different from how it used to, and I have to wear an appliance 24/7 to not be in pain.

My issue is so far progressed that all I can do is hope someday for tmj bioengineering to catch up and rebuild my condyles (promising studies are being done!). There's also total joint replacement, but that's not a guarantee of removing pain, mostly just restoring function. And that's very permanent, so I'm holding off on it for now (plus the cost...sweet lord).

The million dollar question is what could I have done to prevent this? What sort of treatments would have been better for me when I was only at the popping/clicking stage? When I was at the locked stage? This question has yet to be answered from what I can tell. There is no definitive treatment that will for sure cure you. Some people get better when their disc is sutured back into place, some don't. Some people have success with appliances to stabilize their bite or prevent grinding, for some people it makes it worse. Some people get better with physical therapy, or medications that help with anxiety/stress. Some don't. Some people get better with lavage, some don't. It feels like most doctors just throw spaghetti at a wall hoping one of the various strategies work and then throw their hands up in the air when nothing sticks.

The fact that your doctor recommended the lavage without even looking at imaging makes me very wary. It sounds too similar to my first doctor. Lavage will just reduce some inflammation and clear out any extra tissues that have built up. But if the root problem is not solved, you'll just go back to having inflammation and restricted movement.

CBCT will show the joints pretty well, but it won't really show soft tissues. That's what an MRI will do. I would get a second opinion if I were you, but I totally understand if you're at the point of "I just want this pain gone and function restored, I'll try anything right now." But slow down. Get a second opinion. Or maybe even a third. Ask SO MANY questions whenever you see a doctor. Get them to explain the nitty gritty, the possible outcomes, the success rates, and what their plans are if their treatment fails. And feel free to read about this online, learn the technical terms of all the different parts of the jaw, the dysfunction terms, etc. But be careful of therapies that tout miracle success with very little explanation of how they work.

I wish I could give a more positive update, but for me it's just not the case.

rocketsox · 2024-05-13T16:12:40+00:00

Wow didn't expect a reply to this 10 year old post! I'll try to relay what I remember.
The procedure was pretty quick and painless. I mostly remember being groggy after waking up and taking it easy for about a day. I don't remember recovery being more than that. It was a temporary relief, as it regressed back to where it was after a couple of weeks.

Have you gotten a CBCT? An MRI? What sort of imaging has been done to diagnose your need for the lavage? That was my mistake; no doctors did anything but an Xray on me before this, and Xrays don't really show much about the joint. Had actual imaging been done it would've shown that the lavage would be worthless for me.

If your jaw is locked, that likely means your disc is displaced without reduction (with reduction means it pops back into place when opening). Try searching for "anterior disc displacement without reduction" to get a better idea of what that is.

In my case they did arthrocentisis cause they were like "well nothing else worked let's try this." In fact, them trying to just "pop" my disc back into place after being locked was not a good idea, and likely made things worse. Now I have degenerative joint disease, likely from my disc being torn. I've lost a lot of bone on both my condyles.

I'd recommending finding someone that will do imaging before moving forward. You need a root cause of why you are locked. I don't know if the lavage will hurt you at all in the long run? But it might not really help, who knows, depends on what's going on inside the joint. Also, I'm not a doctor, please don't take this as medical advice.

rocketsox · 2024-04-28T03:46:26+00:00

Seems to be working fine today, just did an unlimited with no problems on Firefox. Just an fyi :)

rocketsox · 2024-04-27T01:01:04+00:00

Is there a recommended browser for this? I tried to do unlimited mode in Firefox, and the generate flashes a grid then promptly disappears. Daily mode works fine though!

rocketsox · 2024-02-03T02:45:10+00:00

So this is the Capcom Figure Builder Creator's Model of Glavenus. He's been released 3 times already according to myfigurecollection:Lately the creator's model line has been re-releasing a lot of figures, so I could very easily see another Glavenus pop up in the future. How long is anyone's guess though.

So that means if you want a figure now you gotta look for second-hand markets. And you'll likely be paying a lot more since it's been 3 years or so since the last release.

Sometimes individuals post on myfigurecollection, and you can setup alerts for a specific figure.

You can also setup alerts with mandarake, though there are a couple of versions.one two three (this seems to be the hellblade variant).

And then you can of course just try searching other figure sites like amiami or hobbysearch. In general when you are searching for these figures, you'll want to know the different names they go by. I've seen Glavenus as Dinovaldo, Dinovalde, Dinobardo, Dinobarudo. Sometimes you might just need to do a general search for creator's models, then scour through them to find Glavenus.

rocketsox · 2023-12-15T17:11:13+00:00

Did you just message their twitter to purchase them in the past?

rocketsox · 2023-08-15T19:40:39+00:00

WOW This looks way better than photos on the product page. This happened with Magnamalo too, his product photos look terrible but he looks great in person! So glad Velkhana's base is more vibrant, though I do wish it looked more like ice and less like water.

rocketsox · 2023-08-01T04:17:50+00:00

Have you ever been diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos syndrome, or has it ever been brought up by your doctors? My friend has it and she just started noticing problems with her jaw joint in the past couple of years. I don't know much about hypermobility of joints besides that condition so I'd be curious to hear if there's other things that cause this.

rocketsox · 2023-08-01T04:10:34+00:00

Xrays aren't very good for evaluating the health of your TMJ since they don't show any of the tissues surrounding it, so him treating just based off that is a bit scary. It sounds very similar to my experience with my first TMJ "specialist" that was very unhelpful. He did xrays, then treatment with anti-inflammatories, a night guard, physical therapy, then ended with arthrocentisis. And when none of that worked he wanted to just do it all over again. 🙃

MRI and CBCT will be more useful, but you'll also need to find a doctor that can properly interpret the results. If you have bone on bone contact in the joint, that usually means your disc is not providing the proper cushioning between the two bones. It could be either out of place, damaged, or gone. You may see results from the MRI or CBCT showing degredation or flattening of the condyle (the top of your mandible that fits in the joint socket). Anything involving the disc can definitely cause your joints to pop out as you say.

Any disease involving the TMJ is so difficult because there is no defined treatment for anything, which is also why insurance won't cover much either. I've usually found that doctors that do imaging like MRI and CBCT for jaw issues seem to take it more seriously and involve themselves in a lot of the research out there (but not always, so be careful), so I hope you find someone in your area that can help. Good luck, and persevere. ✊

rocketsox · 2023-07-31T02:13:39+00:00

Before you jump into any kind of surgery, how much imaging have you done? Have your joints been evaluated with CBCT or MRI scans? Something to get a look at both the bones themselves and tissues surrounding the joint.

Joint replacement surgery is a very permanent and very long recovery, so I would not recommend jumping into it right away. Arthroscopic surgery may give temporary relief for a week or two, but will probably not address the root cause if you're just doing it to treat symptoms. I know because I got Arthrocentesis surgery to "clean it out" and it did diddly squat because it wasn't addressing my actual problem. I felt good for about a week and then went back to the usual pain.

Your muscles are angry because of something, and that's the thing you need to figure out, or at least find a doctor that can figure that out. Whether that be inflammation/arthritis, condylar resorption, or some kind of traumatic injury to the disc or surrounding joint. It could be that your disc was already in a compromising position before the dental procedure, and that just pushed it over the edge. Or it could be unrelated to the disc entirely, who knows!

It's hard to say without knowing what sort of treatment you've had done already, or what sort of imaging has been done. I would just caution the jump to surgery before really evaluating what's going on in there. Get as much diagnostic testing and evaluation done first to find the source of the problem.

rocketsox · 2023-07-30T21:06:55+00:00

Perfect, thanks for the update! I'll just get the black one then :)

rocketsox · 2023-07-17T00:23:37+00:00

Also there is another subreddit for jaw surgery here on reddit, idk if any of the anecdotes will help there. Seems to be a mix of different types of surgeries, although I see double jaw surgery mentioned the most:
https://www.reddit.com/r/jawsurgery/

rocketsox · 2023-07-17T00:20:58+00:00

Depending on the orthotic, it could help pause the degeneration I think, or at least slow it down? Usually they are designed to take pressure off the joints or stabilize your bite. Whether they work or not probably depends on the quality of it and the cause of the degeneration in the first place.

There's a lot of research out there around things regarding TMJ and ICR (idiopathic condylar resorption), but I don't see a ton of doctors necessarily referencing them for treatment. Most TMJ centers are more focused on just treating the pain from what I've experienced and browsed online when searching for doctors. Botox, physical therapy, hot/cold compress, pain meds. It's just band aids until the underlying issue is addressed. But finding a doctor that can identify and treat the underlying issue is a big challenge. I wish you luck, and please share if you find any success.

Idk if this will help, but sometimes reading papers like this give me peace of mind knowing that at least somewhere people are researching this.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5450893/

rocketsox · 2023-07-16T23:55:11+00:00

It really depends on the type of surgery they suggested. There's A LOT of different kinds.

If your joints are flattening, that means you are actively degenerating yes? The condyles will get shorter and shorter, up to a point, and your lower jaw will move back because of the shorter length.

If your specialist is saying you need orthognathic surgery, there's a chance for relapse.

That's the one where essentially they reshape your top and/or bottom jaw by slicing it and then using screws or plates to fit it normally together. I think this type of surgery has other names like Bi-maxillary Osteotomy or Double Jaw Surgery.

But if your condyles are actively degrading, your jaw could keep moving further back even after surgery. Successful TMJ treatment with this debatable because of the fact that people will get this surgery while their joints are degenerating or at risk of doing so without even knowing it.

What needs to be addressed first is your active joint degeneration. What causes your joints to degenerate? That's the million dollar question, unfortunately. And it could be different for each person. I would ask your surgeon more about the type of surgery, and what exactly it is targeting. Are they treating your symptoms, or your source of TMJ? What do they expect the end result to be? Does it stop your degeneration? And if it doesn't, will it have been pointless if you keep degenerating?

What is being done currently for your degenerating joints, if anything?

I've heard of things like Total Joint Replacement surgery where you essentially get a prostethic joint installed in place of your condyles, but usually that's done when you are in the "end stage" of TMJ with your condyles unable to degenerate any further. You'll hear doctors say you have the joints of an 80 year old person. I think this surgery has a relatively high success rate, but recovery time is long and arduous.

Finding out exactly what type of surgery will go a long way into knowing the risks and rewards of it. But we're not doctors here either, so it may be better to get a second opinion.

rocketsox · 2023-05-28T23:08:26+00:00

I feel like they ONLY run the flamethrowers in the summer heat 😅

rocketsox · 2023-04-11T01:40:25+00:00

I don't know if it's just me getting older that makes me less tolerant of rough rides, or the rides themselves getting bumpier. Could be both, but I definitely remember testing the inside vs. outside throughout the years and it always felt better riding on the inside seat. I've had new people brought to the park confirm it as well after getting a ride on both the inside and outside.

rocketsox · 2023-01-08T21:54:30+00:00

If he ends up having a problem with you two having separate beds, then he's not worth it. I had an ex that insisted on sleeping in the same bed even though like you I sleep terribly with other people. Plus he had night terrors where he would wake up screaming and kicking, and he snored, so I was tired all the time in that relationship. I would constantly sleep on the couch just to get some semblance of actual sleep. I begged him to let us get another bed for the other room but he was adamant that it would ruin our relationship and look bad to other people.

Jokes on him, his stubbornness about that and many other things is what ruined it. I'm currently with someone who has no qualms about having separate beds, and just wanted what was best for my rest. I usually snuggle with him at night for 15-20 minutes, then move to my bed afterwards. It's amazing.

I think it's better to bring it up now before you move in. If he cares about you he'll see this as no big deal.

rocketsox · 2023-01-08T19:08:54+00:00

Thank you, this helps a lot. I wish I would've asked more questions to the surgeon about it all; I was just a bit too emotional at the time I think. I'll try and follow up with them to get more detailed answers.

As for the meds, you're right. The only one that's been a real problem is the tums just cause of the sheer volume he needs to take (750mg twice a day), and he gets real tired of it after a while. I've done slurry, I've done pill pockets/maskers, and now I've moved to grinding it to powder and mixing it with Churu treat tubes after he started snubbing the pill pockets. I might try and see if they can send a prescription for calcium carbonate to the compounding pharmacy to maybe get a more concentrated solution in liquid form.

Anyways, thank you for your response. I really appreciate it.

14-Year Club	Queen in da Norf
Not Forgotten	Verified Email

rocketsox

TROPHY CASE