Tell me what has worked for your dental pain, please

In My Humble Opinion
1

Disclaimer: I am not seeking medical advice. I have been to far more dentists and specialists than I can count. What I am looking for, rather, is anecdotal accounts of what people have tried for dental issues.

Here’s the situation: I have bum teeth.

Here’s the longer explanation: I come from a long line of people with crappy teeth. In addition to that, I have TMJ and grind my teeth at night, clench them during the day, and have that really annoying jaw pop sound whenever I open my mouth even the slightest bit.

I’ve had 2 different types of nightguards, with varying success. While I think they do a fine job of making it impossible to wear my teeth down any more, I don’t think they’re helping the problem, just the symptom.

I have lost the 2 back molars on the left hand side, and one back molar on the right side (wisdom teeth are long gone). In two of the three cases, root canal was tried. In fact, I had four root canals in the tooth that was just pulled two weeks ago (second-to-last molar on left side) in an attempt to save the tooth. I fear that I’ll end up with no teeth by the time I’m 50. Even when I got the tooth pulled the other week, it didn’t heal well, and I ended up having to get the extraction site opened up and scraped out, which was every bit as horrible as it sounds and even more so. It seems like every dental procedure I have is more difficult than the “average” patient’s.

I’m constantly in pain. I don’t know what it’s like not to take Advil or other pain relievers every day, and I know this can’t be good for my stomach, liver, and kidneys.

So here, finally, is the question. Has anyone else here experienced complex dental pain? What have you tried? Again, while it probably sounds as though I am seeking medical advice, I have seen (and continue to see) actual practitioners. I just wonder if there is something we are missing that might help.

2

For actual dental pain you’re already doing what I’ve found the most helpful, that being the use of NSAIDs, so I can’t offer any help there. But as far as the TMJ problems go, have you tried the NTI-TSS? From 1986 through 1997 I had bilateral TMJ surgery three times (the second two to correct the first botched job) with only minimal resolution to the pain I suffered. In 2002 I read about Dr. Jim Boyd and the NTI clip he’d developed and with a little research I found a dentist who was using them. It took a while to get used to sleeping with this strange thing on my front teeth but it has made all the difference in the world. I went from unrelenting moderate-to-severe pain to an occasional (one day out of every few weeks) annoying ache. I have two NTIs, just in case I lose one.

I’m sorry you’re in misery. Good luck.

3

Vicodin.

Infections can complicate things too. Sometimes antibiotics are the ticket.

4

For my TMJ pain, I find that Aleve and an ice pack works wonders. Also, just stopping and de-stressing for a bit is key, especially if you’re clenching. No one can really cure you of clenching your teeth - only you can do that. A “TMJD Trick” I was taught was to sit back and hold your tongue to the top of your mouth with your lips apart. This relaxes the jaw muscles and also gets you concentrated on relaxing a bit.

I also avoid stuff that aggravates my jaw - talking too much, eating hard or chewy food, chewing gum and eating stuff that requires big bites (like a tall sandwich).

I screwed up my stomach when I was in college and first experiencing TMJ pain by taking too much Advil, so I don’t take anti-inflamatories that much anymore. I only reach for the Aleve if I just can’t get the problem to go away. Relaxation and ice is a better way to go because it doesn’t require drugs.

TMJ pain can be horrible and wear you out, especially if you’ve got other dental pain at the time (like with your molars)…that seems to exacerbate the problem. Sorry you have to go through it :frowning:

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This is illegal advice, please don’t take it. But marijuana has dulled a toothache to manageable for people I know.

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Thanks for all of the advice and well wishes thus far.
Madd Maxx: not for me, but interesting nonetheless.
Fiveroptic: May I ask how much that device cost? I had a full upper guard that was so uncomfortable that I would take it out in my sleep, so clearly it didn’t do me any good. Now I have 2 smaller pieces that go on the bottom teeth on either side. Not sure how I feel about those.
ZipperJJ: I will try that roof-of-the-mouth trick. I’ll also try ice packs—never thought of that! I’ve been thinking that I really need to re-start yoga or something else that helps with stress. Some days I catch myself with my shoulders hunched up around my ears!
Diogenes the Cynic: I think I may need anitbiotics at this point. It feels like right now my biggest issue is that I have stitches from the oral surgery the other day and they are irritating the crap out of my mouth. Canker sore where the stitches rub the side of my mouth, swollen gums, etc. Luckily, I see the dentist day after tomorrow to get them out and he can tell me if there’s some infection going on. I did get some pain meds at the time of the oral surgery, but they don’t seem like a good long-term solution—especially since they only prescribed a few days’ worth! I’d hate to start scouring the illegal pharmacy websites just because my teeth hurt.

Anyhow, thanks for all of your responses so far.

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Word for word, what I came in to say.

8

I know you’re trying to get away from daily NSAID usage, but for acute pain vicuprofen has worked the best for me. All the benefits of vicodin and ibuprofen handily combined for you in one pill.

It made my (temporary) dental nightmares go away, and I hope you find something that works for the TMJ on a long-term basis.

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The NTI essentially does for you just what ZipperJJ suggested – it makes it impossible for your back teeth to touch while you sleep, and that makes it impossible for you to unknowingly clench. The problem with night guards that go over all of the upper teeth is that your top and bottom molars can still bite on the guard. It really doesn’t help much at all. Take a look at the page I linked to above. He does a pretty decent job of explaining it.

My NTI cost around $400 back in 2002 before it became known to many dentists. I’ve since been told that the price has come down, and some insurance companies will pay for it. When I think about the money spent on prescriptions, OTC meds, and time lost from work because of pain, this thing paid for itself pretty quick.

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That totally sounds like a made-up name, like those cell phone adds that smoosh the names of cities together. Chiladelkardon or whatever.
It also sounds highly effective. And I dont particularly like narcotic painkillers, so you know I’m in pain when I want one. They make me teary and irritable. The other night I took one and within 2 hours was sobbing to my husband that he just doesn’t love me. While there was maybe a grain of reality to my hurt feelings, the poor guy was a bit bewildered.

Fiveroptic, I’ve looked at the site again. I found it kind of confusing the first time around. I think I was just distracted by the woman with a wooden vise on her head. He’s suggesting I get one of those?? But I was able to locate the database of providers and have found some who are relatively close to me. I believe that you may have found my next attempt at resolving this. And I agree that the upfront cost can most likely be offset by whatever else I’ve been spending. Four root canals have not been cheap.