Invisalign - Has Anyone With Tmj Had It? (Page 1)

invisilign still moves the teeth. altering the bite like that will still make the tmd act up. I would get the tmd as manageable as possible before i started moving teeth. However its entirely up to you. Make sure that you tell them about tmd and what not. Im sure that you know the drill.

I have chronic TMJ (have had it for the past seven years) and I recently got Invisalign. I'm currently in my third stage of treatment (so six weeks in) and the trays do irritate my TMJ. My jaw gets very stiff from the pressure on my teeth. A couple of times a day I have to take the trays out and do yawning stretches. My orthodontist had warned that the TMJ would probably get a lot worse during initial treatment but would eventually get better as my teeth and jaw align. I also see my chiropractor every two weeks and he'll often perform jaw adjustments which helps tremendously, although the effects seem to be temporary, lasting only a day or two at best. I must say, I hate having TMJ. It's the most aggravating condition I've ever experienced and I really hope that it gets even just a little better by the end of my Invisalign treatment.

hi rachel0814,
Just wondering how you're are going with your invisaligns, given your history of TMJ?

Thanks

After close to 2 years with Invisalign, I was supposed to be coming to the end of treatment this month. However a series of ill fitting aligners and problems getting appointments with my busy orthodontist has pushed my treatment out for 25 more sets (that translates to 50 weeks, which means I have about a year left). I had to have impressions (molds) recast twice during treatment, and I'm now on set 2 of my final 25 sets. So far, they fit perfectly. I don't really mind having to wear them one more year, as I have been thrilled with both the cosmetic results (it's amazing how fast your teeth move) and also with the relief they have provided for my TMJ symptoms. I still have chronic TMJ, and my chiropractor says it will probably never go away. But, whereas I used to have cracking and popping every day, now there are days that I don't even notice it. I can eat, talk, yawn, laugh, etc. and my jaw doesn't tighten up. So for me, that's significantly better than before. Before invisalign, I used to get lock jaw when my husband would go to kiss me! That's how bad it was.

Perfect fit or not, the aligners have really helped me with not grinding my teeth at night. And that has resolved a good portion of the pain and tenseness that I used to wake up with daily. It's at the point where if I forget to wear my aligners to bed (such as falling asleep watching a movie) I regret it in the morning. So, even after I am done with the Invisalign treatment, I will be wearing the Invisalign retainers, possibly forever, just to help with the TMJ.

I had jaw clicking which hadn't caused any pain before invisalign. Now, I have invisalign and for the first time I started getting TMJ pain.

yes i had invisalign, after suffering from tmj almost my whole life. While invisalign does change your bite, it does so based off a computer animated design, not the proper alignment that an orthodontist would control. It is this lack of control from a dentist using invisalign that created a completely off balance bite for me. I live with it daily, its a total pain in the rear. My advice is do not go into orthodontic treatment of any kind without being prepared to come out worse. REALLY really, really, do your research and get more than one opinion, i wish i had. Good luck to you!

My dentist prescribed Invisalign for my TMJ, and he believed I would notice improvement in my jaw almost immediately! I hope it works!

My dentist also wants to put me on Invisalign. She thinks by improving my bite, it will naturally take care of the TMJ problem. I just don't know. The Invisalign is really expensive for me right now. Has anyone on here had any luck improving TMJ symptoms after Invisalign? She said I could also go the route of a night splint which is cheaper, but I don't know....

My dentist said that invisalign would improve my TMJ but it gave me tinnitus. I was only on the invisalign for 2.5 weeks when all of my head and neck muscles went into spasm and my ears started ringing. I had a couple of ear infections (haven't had one in my entire life) but once the inflammation calmed down they disappeared. I'm off the invisalign and am about to start having massage therapy. I had a new night guard made and am easing into that but it's difficult as my muscles are fighting their adjustment. I think that invisalign would be fine for those who don't have TMJ syndrome.

Bump. Are there any success stories on here with Invisalign and TMJ? My dentist has recommended invisalign but also gave me the option of some kind of tmj splint, which she is less enthused about. Obviously, I don't want to go down the route of invisalign if it isn't going to help ease my tmj symptoms. It is pretty costly.

I'm on tray 12 out of 19 for both lower and upper and have noticed a significant improvement in my TMJ. The clicking noise is not as loud as in the past and i experience less pain.

I have had miled TMJ - popping and sliding of jaw joint - I have worn my invisaline tray for 1 week. I started waking up in the morning with popping and yesterday my jaw slide out of joint. My jaw was locked for 12 hours. The joint worked its way back in, but this morning it has slide out again. I had to remove my invisaline, however, I have not given up yet. I really want it to work.

Invisalign braces has definitely made my TMJ much worse.

Invisalign braces has definitely made my TMJ much worse.

Before any ortho is started you should have a complete TMJ exam but You cannot tell the health of the TMJ by simply taking a CBCT. That is a vey narrow approach considering soft tissue is not even visible on the xray.

Examination includes muscle and joint palpation, recording of joint sounds or vibrations, ROM and most important patient history of prior joint symptoms.

My ortho uses Invisalign as a retainer after treatment. I didn't have TMJ before or during my treatment, but now I wake up every morning with my jaw out of joint. Only after removing the retainer can I successfully (and painfully) pop my jaw back into place. My ortho has recommended that I stop wearing the Invisalign at night and instead wear it in the evening.

I have had TMJ for 5+ years. Finally decided on Invisilign after meeting with 2 orthos in town. After 6 weeks of treatment, my TMJ is worse than ever. It slowly got worse over trays 1-3, and I was unable to put tray 4 in. I've stopped Invisilign and the pain is slowly getting better. Please think twice and do lots of research before you consider Invisilign for your TMJ!

I've had tmj for 15 years, but with minor symptoms. 3 mo's ago my right ear began ringing and since then other symptoms have surfaced, including stiffness of neck, sore throat, ear pressure and popping, decreased hearing and sensitivity to high-pich noises. After 3 DR. appts I met with a TMJ specialist here in Seattle and he is proposing a year long treatment using invisalign ($8k+). This is a massive investment, but I need to find a cure before I go nuts. I'll let you know how it goes (as I go broke).

Invisalign definitely takes some getting used to, and usually the TMJ gets worse before it gets better. That's what I experienced. 1, 2, even 6 weeks or more may not be enough time to adjust to wearing the aligners. So, if you've already invested in Invisalign, please don't give up just because the first couple of weeks are so intense. It does eventually get better. But expect 2-4 months before you start to feel the relief. That was my experience. Also, I found it to be very helpful to get monthly chiropractic adjustments during Invisalign treatment. Jaw, neck, shoulders, back, hips...everything is connected.

That statement is a contradiction. You can't just have chiropractic adjustments done prior to getting Invisalign and expect that will be a fix all... If you need chiropractic care at all, you will need it before, during and after.

Anyone, with TMJ or not, with or without Invisalign or traditional braces, benefit the most from monthly chiropractic adjustments. To keep in tip top alignment, chiropractic adjustments really should be done once a month for life.

Hi Rachel,
My daughter finished her entire Invisalign treatment (for straightening her teeth, not TMJ) and has had nothing but problems since incluing migranes, dizzyness, vertigo, jaw pain, and nausea. She is currently being treated with a splint to try to put her jaw (TMJ) back into its proper place, but so far nothing seems to be working. Her orthodontist (not the Invisalign ortho) told her that if the splint didn't seem to be improving her condition in the next couple of weeks, he was going to recommend surgery!!! I fully recommend that you stop your Invisalign before it is too late.