TMD @ My Splint

Assalamualaikum..

After 1 month going back and forth to the hospital (HTAR) the doctor made a splint for me to be worn 24 hours except when eating. This is how it look like. I have to wear it because I think I'm grinding my teeth when I'm sleeping partly due to stress during the day. That's why my jaw feels sore every morning. The doctor advised me to eat soft food for the time being, but being me, I sometimes forgot the doctor's advice!!
Anyhow, wearing this splint makes me hungry all day. It's because I can't chew or eat anytime I please because it's too cumbersome to take the splint on and off.

The doctor gave me a pamphlet on Temporomandibular Joint Pain Dysfunction Syndrome. It says:

You have been told that you have Temporomandibular Joint Pain Dysfunction Syndrome. This is a big name for a simple condition which is the second most common cause of pain in the face. (Toothache is the commonest cause.)

The condition is best describe as a sprain of the jaw joint and the muscles around them. As the jaw joint (also known as the temporomandibular joint) is just in front of the ear, pain may be felt there and may seem like earache. The muscles around the joint cover the sides of the head and jaws, so a sprain may cause headache, neck pain or what feels like a toothache.

The jaw joint has a cartilage inside it as does the knee joint. When the cartilage gets into the wrong place in the joint because of the sprain, it may begin to click when the jaw is moved. This a bit like cartilage trouble that affects the knees of athletes. Stiffness as well as clicking may be produced so that your mouth may not open as far as usual. The jaw may even become stuck in one position for short periods.

You may have noticed that your symptoms began after your face or jaw was hurt, perhaps by a knock. More often TMJPDS starts when stress or tiredness leads to clenching of the jaws or grinding of teeth which over-strain the jaws. Many people clench their jaws without being aware of it and grinding of teeth is often done whilst asleep. For this reason symptoms of TMJPDS are often worse in the morning. As there is a link with stress the condition often occurs following the death of a loved one, illness, losing a job, or any difficult time. Surprisingly even happy events like getting married or having a baby may bring on TMJPDS>

Two out ten people have TMJPDS before the age of thirty. Three quarters of cases get better within three month of noticing the symptoms, even without treatment the symptoms of TMJPDS, like those of a sprain of any joint, will show early improvement. Resting the joint by eating only soft foods, avoiding wide opening of the mouth and special exercises will help. If problems are slow to go away, a splint or physiotherapy may be used. Painkillers in the form of tablets, and sometimes sprays or creams, may be prescribed to ease symptoms until the muslce spasm starts to resolve.

Very occasionally TMJPDS is not completely controlled by simple means. Remember the condition is very common and almost all patients will recover with time.