Overcoming TMD with DIY dental repairs and a leap of faith - read my story of chronic pain, determination, and life-changing improvements.

Here's the story:

What made this extreme action necessary?

A terrible case of TMD - Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction.

You see, as a kid I had a few instances of a dislocated jaw (dislocated other joints as well).

The causes were mundane, head to jaw contact in gym class, my own knee to my jaw when skiing, etc.

Turns out I am hypermobile - double jointed.

By the time I was 19 I could no longer chew because of the chronic pain and subsequent migraines.

I found a solution - a nearby TMJ specialist.

Fast forward 7 years of different dental appliances, experimental pain management devices, and many many trips to the dentist and I was in "Stable" condition.

This is what stable condition looks like:

Massive "bite pads" - 2 points of contact for all teeth made of hard dental resin.

The problem? It would break regularly and my new job was in the opposite direction of the dentist - over 2 hours away.

Without dental insurance (and not enough cash to try a new procedure at a new dentist) I was left with 1 option.

DIY bite pad repair.

After over 100 hours in a dentist chair I felt confident in my ability to repair my own bite pads and got to work ordering the supplies.

After (careful) trial and error I figured out how to rebuild broken bite pads:

• Rough the surface with a stone tipped Dremel bit

• Add resin to the ground area and press in

• Cure with a UV light

• Use bite paper to mark high spots

• Grind to fit until bite is comfortable

When a bite pad broke there would be an immediate headache or migraine, and when repairing it, the same.

The difference? When repaired the pain subsides.

I did this for over a year, 2-4 times a week - even carrying my kit while traveling.

At this point, I had insurance, had saved money, and was ready to try a new solution.

I was terrified of going through more pain.

The cost of pain is high - brain fog, poor mood, sleep, and health in general.

I took the leap with a new dentist.

He immediately saw my case as unique and was concerned about irreversible damage to my bite if not addressed quickly.

He cut the pads off and replaced it with a different appliance.

Amazingly it didn't hurt.

A few months later he suggested SureSmile as a permanent way to realign my bite.

I was ecstatic!

My teeth would touch again after being physically incapable of biting together for over 3 years.

It is an 18 month process using 36 different upper and lower trays.

I have about 6 months left of SureSmile - and the improvements have been life changing:

• No more chronic pain

• Exercising without headaches

• Crunchy foods are back on the menu

Quality of life has gone up drastically.

And as quality of life improves, so too does my ability to see a positive future.

Lifestyle design becomes possible.

Living into old age becomes a goal rather than a product of life.

Find your bottleneck and attack it until you find a solution.

You will be glad you did not give up.

Thanks for reading.

If you are struggling with some kind of TMJ or hypermobile concern, or would like to talk, feel free to reach out.

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