Anyone else have TMJ or sleep apnea

[TerryB]

Hello,

I am having revision surgery April 6th in Amarillo, Texas with Dr. LaGrone. I am terrified, but realize it is the only decison I can make at this point. My original surgery was in 1981 (28 years ago). I have been a very active person up until October of 2008 when the pain has increased so much. I have of course noticed the forward lean, but I just thought it was an expected part of the original surgery. I have no proof, but I really feel that flatback is the root of the other problems I have encountered over the last 28 years. In my mid 20's I began to have pain in my face and jaw. After many tests and doctors, it was decided that I had TMJ and I had surgery for it. My top jaw was extended and bottom jaw was shortened to align my bite. The pain was less following the surgery, but still present. In late 2003, I began to have pain between my shoulder blades and not so much in my jaw. About a year ago, the pain between my shoulder blades decreased and I began to have pain in my lower back and hips. Most recently, the pain has grown to include my knees. I began snoring about 2003. I was finally diagnosed with sleep apnea in December of 2006. The doctor really did not think I had it because she thought it was for people who were overweight. At that time, I was underweight. Over the past two years, I have gained about 25 pounds. I am not very active anymore. It hurts too much. I am not posting this to whine. I am just curious if anyone else has seen a progression like this.

Thanks!

TerryB

[txmarinemom]

I have no proof, but I really feel that flatback is the root of the other problems I have encountered over the last 28 years. In my mid 20's I began to have pain in my face and jaw. After many tests and doctors, it was decided that I had TMJ and I had surgery for it. My top jaw was extended and bottom jaw was shortened to align my bite.

Terry,

I don't have apnea, but I've had TMJ since I was a kid: My jaws pop and I have GOT to get another bite guard ... I actually chipped a front tooth grinding my teeth in my sleep several months ago .

The surgery you describe is usually done for a severe Class III malocclusion - not TMJ. While TMJ is sometimes the result of the problem, it's often not the root.

My son was diagnosed with this when he was in 5th grade (it's represented by "negative overjet" ... where your bottom jaw sticks out further than it should, and the top teeth don't hang over like they should - or hang behind the bottom teeth). Think Jay Leno, and how prominent his chin is ... it's because his bottom jaw is longer due to malocclusion.

True malocclusions are most often caused by a fluke of nature that causes the upper jaw to grow more slowly than the lower jaw. If they needed shorten your lower jaw to align your bite, the abnormality didn't happen overnight - or probably even during your adult life.

Did you wear braces prior to your surgery? Had you ever been checked for a malocclusion?

Regards,
Pam

[TerryB]

Braces were put on my teeth in preparation for my surgery. I did have an open bite. I wore a Milwaukee back brace for two years. The open bite began after the first of year of the Milwaukee back brace.

[txmarinemom]

Braces were put on my teeth in preparation for my surgery. I did have an open bite. I wore a Milwaukee back brace for two years. The open bite began after the first of year of the Milwaukee back brace.

It's doubtful the malocclusion had anything to do with the brace and everything to do with when it would have naturally become visible. (i.e., like scoliosis, during the growing years)

Personally, just based on what I know about malocclusions, I think your TMJ was probably caused by that (there is a definite link between the two) and not scoliosis/flatback.

At any rate, I have a friend who had the surgery and understand it's a particularly rough one: Sorry to hear you had to go through that, and that you're in pain now.

While I don't have sleep apnea, my ex husband did. He went through a 2 night sleep study when he was about 38 years old, and was given a CPAP (I felt like I was sleeping with Darth Vader, but I was about to smother him for snoring!). He had only had trouble (with the snoring and just feeling *tired* all the time) for a few years prior to that, so I'm not sure it's impossible to just develop it with age (I'll have to look now ... I'm curious). It does seem to be more common in overweight people, but it isn't exclusive to that group: Did your undergo a sleep study for diagnosis?

Are they currently treating you with any type of device, and if so, is it helping?

Hang in there ... April will be here before you know it, and I really hope your revision brings you some relief.

Regards,
Pam

[cammaltby]

Terry,

I haven't had the sleep apnea progression you described, but it did remind me of some of the similar symptoms related to Mafans, or the MASS phenotype diagnosis I had read recently. (Scoliosis is another.)

From the Marfan foundations website:

"Sleep-related breathing disorders, such as snoring and sleep apnea, are also associated with Marfan syndrome, even when the person is not overweight."

and

"Many people with the Marfan syndrome have narrow jaws and high, arched palates, which can create dental and orthodontic problems"

Here is the foundations website: http://www.marfan.org/nmf/index.jsp
You might check out related disorders too.

Marfans is a tricky diagnosis from what I understand...more of a "rule in or out" kind of diagnosis....but it would be worth knowing if you had it if it, if a number of the symptoms sounds like you (or another family member).

Take Care, Cam