How long have you had the splints? Have you had any adjustments yet? When my splints were made well and/or adjusted well, it would take just a few days to get used to. But, I did not have a repositioning splint, which I guess is what you have. Are you taking any type of muscle relaxant (zanaflex) or pain medication (ibuprofen)? I can highly recommend that you use lots of moist heat directly on the jaw and neck (ice in a towel for 15 minutes when you think there is swelling).

It's best that you only "eat" a liquid of soft food diet for now. Help your jaw to heal. Were you given any exercises to do or did your dentist want you to rest the jaw?

Don't hesitate to call your dentist if the problem doesn't start getting better slowly (or quickly) each passing day. An adjustment might be needed or maybe a pain med or muscle relaxant. Help yourself as much as possible by being as gentle and nice to yourself as you can until you get used to the bite splints.

I hope and pray that soon you will be on the way to pain free times.
God bless...
Carol

i actually got my new/first splint put in today.

i have to wear it 24/7 for 2 weeks and then see what progress was made.

it goes only on the bottom teeth, it isn't too bad. i was talking pretty well today. i had to go straight to work after getting it! but i am still slurring on a few things. the woman that adjusted it said that should go away after 2-3 days.

it doesn't hurt, except i think i should call them about getting a slight adjustment. there seems to be a nub that is sharp going into my gums in the front that could just be shaved down. i hope it doesn't irritate too much, i don't think i could go back tomrorow... but i think i will call in the morning if it is irritated when i wake up. and maybe they can squeeze me in.

my teeth feel funny with it. and my jaw is still sore because i had to bite down so much for the adjustments.

do you have muscle relaxents and anti-inflammitory pain meds? i have both of those and they help. but man... i tried swallowing them with the splint in and i almost choked myself!!! i have a bad gag reflex an there are some times just talking i have to stop and take a deep breath to calm them.

hopefully ill adjust soon and hopefully you will too. since we started the same time ill keep you updated on when i feel 'normal'... as if i could ever feel normal!!!

good luck!

you have to give the jaw time to readjust to the splint/orthotic. it takes a while. Im glad that you found nmd .

now the only problem with my splint is that my tongue web is SORE!!! it has red irritations all over it

my tongue is in such a weird position now due to the splint... but its only been 3 days so im still waiting it out.

oh and its SO weird when i take the splint out to eat or clean, my mouth stays in the nice little open position where my teeth are a cm apart... its weird!

and i still stutter/lisp/spit when i talk... haha...

I am now entering day 4 of wearing splints. I am not taking any meds except Unisom at night to help me sleep. I am still not use to the splints. As I said before, my overbite is 150%, so my splints are about an inch thick. (Imagine keeping your mouth open an inch wider 24/7!). My mouth is sore- feels like its bruised =(

My looks have changed a lot too. My chin is down and sticking out more and my lips look like a frown. To me it looks like I have a big wad of chewing gum in my mouth.

I am still talking funny too, but my fam says I sound fine- but I think they are just being nice.

hi ^_^

On top of all the other issues new splints can cause, a sharp piece in your gums sounds unbearable! I have a sore on my tongue because I keep biting it on accident. My lower jaw use to open only like diagonal- open and to my right. Now with my splints my jaw goes perfect up and down so I keep biting my tongue.

I wish us both a fast recovery!

Whats nmd? *blush*

neuromuscular dentistry.

give the splint more time. 4 days is not near enough.

I'm happy you said that.

well im glad i mad you happy any time you need me you know where to find me.

It's been almost a week since my new splints. I think my muscles have adjusted because I am not sore anymore. But I have sores in my mouth =( I still can't talk as I did and I keep biting my tongue on one side. And I can't chew anything with my back teeth without pain. But if I stay still and do nothing I am fine lol.

Another thing that is really bothering me is now with my new bite, my lips do not touch naturally. I have to force them to touch to keep my mouth closed, which makes my chin wrinkle all up. Will my lips learn to touch over time or is this something I need to get use to?

it will take time---its probably temporary. as the orthotic gets adjusted and your muscles and bite start to stabalize it will get better.

how is your splint going?

mine feels much better now. i put ambesol on my gums before i put it back in my mouth after brushing. most of the sores are gone.

now there is just one spot on the inside that is still kinda sore, i am going to the doctor tomorrow to see if i can go to nights. i will prolly show him the spot that is making the sore, it bulges out a little where the sore is, and that side is a little longer, digging deeper into my gums

i hope yours is doing better. that must really suck having one so thick. here is a funny picture of me at a halloween party the other night. i can't even smile for a picture without looking dumb!!! so i REALLY feel for you!!!

its so weird that now since my mouth is used to it, it doesnt really feel like there is a big thing in there. but i still cant wait to go to just nights!!

Hi and thanks for the update! Your pic looks great, I dont think its funny at all. I am attaching a before and after pic of myself. As you can tell, my jaw is much lower, my chin and sticking out and I basically look like I have a big wad of gum in my mouth all the time.

before
after

I have no sores and virtually no pain most the time. The only problems I have with the day splint is:

talking- I cant pronounce s's and th's well at all. And I spit when I talk sometimes =( It has not got any better..

chewing and eating- it is painful to chew on my back teeth, so I dont. Im still eating soft foods. I cant eat gooey or chewy foods or bread products because it sticks all on my splint! Well, I can but not in public. At home if I eat a cupcake or something I have to go to the bathroom immediately and rinse myself.

My worse problem of all is my night splint. I wake up clenching more tightly than I ever have in my life. In the morning my teeth are so sore, they feel like they have bruises on them! I have been taking sleeping pills for 2 weeks now because if I dont the pain throughout the night is unbearable.

It will be a year before I can go just nights =/ and that will be when I get braces on (I think). How long do you have to wear yours? Oh one more thing. Last week when I called the doc about the sores, he recommended a rinse solution of half benedryl and half malox to help. I didn't do it..it may help you tho. ^^

Happy Halloween everyone!

wow, there is quite a difference. but at least it is going to help in the long run!!

when i first got mine in i also couldn't pronounce s's or t's but now i can speak normal and without spitting!! thank god! it's no fun.

do you take any muscle relaxors? they put me right to sleep and i think i am clenching less because of them.

i already had braces, although one tooth on my bottom row is getting crooked... so my splint is kinda crooked around it! hopefully it won't get more crooked or the splint won't fit right. also, i think my one wisdom tooth really needs to come out. but it is still way down in there so i don't know what they will do about it.

i think i will always have to wear this splint at night, but when i go tomorrow i will know if i can go to just nights. it's been 2 weeks of wearing it 24/7 except when eating/brushing.

hope you had a good halloween!

i just got back from the doctor. i have to wear my splint for 10 more days and then i can go to just nights!!!!!!!!!

and he didn't make another appointment with me!!! he was happy with my improvement and said just to call if anything goes wrong.

i am very happy!!!!!

you will get used to the s sounds. i sound funny and i graduated from stuff in my mouth. im so glad messicamouse that things are going well. as soon as you feel uncomfortable call.

3 week follow-up. My appliance got tightened today and I am just a little more sore. I am able to open my mouth wider than 3 weeks ago from 15mm to 22mm now. The muscles around and in my right ear have got worse in the last 3 weeks and I have less movement of my jaw from left to right as a result. My night appliance leaves my right ear sore and my upper teeth feeling very sore and my night appliance got loosened today. I’m very happy about that.

I have very little space inbetween my back teeth and can’t chew big pieces- and by big I mean bigger than a pea. This will improve in time. The dentist asked me from 0 -100% how much improvement have I seen from what I want. I was disappointed to have to tell him 0%. I hope I didn’t hurt his feelings, but he said 0% is okay for this early in the treatment.

On another note, has anyone else noticed how sweet and pretty the dental hygienist always is? I have been to 4 dentists in the last 2 years and every hygienist I have seen has always been sweet and good looking. It’s a good thing! =)

What's your update mousey? =)

very good ---keep up the good work--in my experience ive only had one sweet pretty hygenist.lol