TMJ and earmolds.

NaidaUP

NaidaUP

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2012
Messages
2,100
Reaction score
27
I've just been told last week that I have TMJ in my left ear but not my right ear.

When I get new earmolds made, it's always because my left earmold is moving. My right earmold could go on forever, it feels.

Would having my earmold impressions made with my jaw open work well? Has anyone got any experience? I have to try and talk my audiologist in to thinking its the right thing to do. He's very good at doing the earmold impressions but he's never told me to do anything with my mouth etc.

Would you recommend just opening my jaw or actually biting on to something?
:ty:
 
Opening the jaw makes a gap in your jaw joint... I know because I have it too and they inject into an open jaw. Biting would clench it and make it harder and tighter. Making a mold when your jaw is open though might make the earmold more uncomfortable when your jaw is closed, right? Maybe a different material for that ear that's more forgiving, not a hard plastic?
 
I don't have much experience with earmolds, but-

I had very severe TMJ for many years. My jaw would get stuck open sometimes, other times stuck shut, it would crack and crunch and hurt like crazy. My dentist wanted to break my jaw, reset things, put braces in, wire my jaw shut for 6 weeks so I could eat through a straw while I recovered, and charge me thousands of dollars.

Luckily, I knew someone with the same problem and a better dentist. So I switched dentists. The new guy gave me a really simple set of exercises - takes a few seconds to do them - that I would do a few times a day while having trouble. The TMJ ***went away***. Once in a long while I feel it very slightly starting up again so I just do the exercises and I've been ok for a very long time.

I don't know if all TMJ cases are similar enough to think that these exercises will help you, but if you want me to describe them, let me know and I'll type them up. Or if you have skype I can show you.
 
amylynne said:
I don't have much experience with earmolds, but-

I had very severe TMJ for many years. My jaw would get stuck open sometimes, other times stuck shut, it would crack and crunch and hurt like crazy. My dentist wanted to break my jaw, reset things, put braces in, wire my jaw shut for 6 weeks so I could eat through a straw while I recovered, and charge me thousands of dollars.

Luckily, I knew someone with the same problem and a better dentist. So I switched dentists. The new guy gave me a really simple set of exercises - takes a few seconds to do them - that I would do a few times a day while having trouble. The TMJ ***went away***. Once in a long while I feel it very slightly starting up again so I just do the exercises and I've been ok for a very long time.

I don't know if all TMJ cases are similar enough to think that these exercises will help you, but if you want me to describe them, let me know and I'll type them up. Or if you have skype I can show you.
Click to expand...

Exercises and essential oils... Right?

Note though that it all depends on WHY you have TMJ. If it's muscular imbalance then exercises can help. If it's deterioration of the cartilage then you can get injections to cushion it. And if it's tooth grinding at night then you can wear a night guard. What works for you might not work for everyone else, and in fact if it's more skeletal or the cartilage then stretching it and exercising it could hurt it.
 
ohmylight said:
Opening the jaw makes a gap in your jaw joint... I know because I have it too and they inject into an open jaw. Biting would clench it and make it harder and tighter. Making a mold when your jaw is open though might make the earmold more uncomfortable when your jaw is closed, right? Maybe a different material for that ear that's more forgiving, not a hard plastic?
Click to expand...

:ty: for the info, that's good to know :)
 
ohmylight said:
Exercises and essential oils... Right?

Note though that it all depends on WHY you have TMJ. If it's muscular imbalance then exercises can help. If it's deterioration of the cartilage then you can get injections to cushion it. And if it's tooth grinding at night then you can wear a night guard. What works for you might not work for everyone else, and in fact if it's more skeletal or the cartilage then stretching it and exercising it could hurt it.
Click to expand...

They say my TMJ in my left ear is because I've had 2 operations on that side and on my last operation, my ear opened back up so it didn't heal very neatly or very nicely (altho fully closed) so my ear is all tight and wonky and layers of skin are stuck together, if that makes sense. Not sure if exercise will help my case, I think I'm stuck with mine.

In away, altho they said I have TMJ mine is not caused my the standard stuff that causes TMJ.
 
I don't have TMJ (suspected I might have it and my dentist gave me a mouth guard because of teeth grinding - 25+ years ago).

I do open mouth (biting on something) impressions. Forget why I switched to this method, though.
 
I have TMJ and tried all kind of ear mold for my right ear. There is an earmold that has that not solid , it fix in the ear canal and doesdoes cover the whole ear. I When you open your mouth your ear canal close up a little so I don't think keeping your mouth will help. I was told to take my HA off when eating and to cut my apples up and not chew all hard food or gum . I can no longer wear a HA in my right ear , it's too painful plus my hearing is not the great in my right ear. The earmold I am talking about looks like the one on this link

It may be better for you if you wear this kind if earmold for your hearing lost.



Custom Ear Mold Do-It-Yourself Home Kit
 
I'm not getting pain as such, altho it is slightly painful but not what I can't cope with. It's just the fact since my last operation 5 years ago and 6 different people have done my earmolds, I've always lost sound when I eat or even walk or talk and it's driving me insane. I would rather not wear a hearing aid because its drives me insane.

I decided I would see my ENT about it and he says its likely due to my incision that just didn't heal very well at all and so everything is really tight and stuck together.

I personally wouldn't say I have TMJ but that's what the ENT said. I found when I bite my Phonak case, my earmold is not loose but if I make a fish face, my earmold goes really loose.

I want to be able to walk and not loose sound, that's my aim more then being fine when I eat etc. :)

I'll properly make a fish face when I have my earmolds done, that is, if I can get my audiologist to actually agree.

Whatdidyousay - The link shows a skeleton earmold which is what I'm after as well :)
 
NaidaUP said:
I'm not getting pain as such, altho it is slightly painful but not what I can't cope with. It's just the fact since my last operation 5 years ago and 6 different people have done my earmolds, I've always lost sound when I eat or even walk or talk and it's driving me insane. I would rather not wear a hearing aid because its drives me insane.

I decided I would see my ENT about it and he says its likely due to my incision that just didn't heal very well at all and so everything is really tight and stuck together.

I personally wouldn't say I have TMJ but that's what the ENT said. I found when I bite my Phonak case, my earmold is not loose but if I make a fish face, my earmold goes really loose.

I want to be able to walk and not loose sound, that's my aim more then being fine when I eat etc. :)

I'll properly make a fish face when I have my earmolds done, that is, if I can get my audiologist to actually agree.

Whatdidyousay - The link shows a skeleton earmold which is what I'm after as well :)
Click to expand...

I was told that skeleton earmold is not right for everyone hearing . I can't use them as I would be getting feedback all the time. My earmolds have nice and tight. My ears felt blocked up when I wore two HA with tight earmold.
 
Back
Top