Dorcey Rose
My daughter had some problems with tmj about five years ago, but it wasn't severe enough at that point. They gave her a night guard and sent her on her way. This year at 27, she had to have another MRI, x-rays, and had her jaw bone pushing into her ear. It was the ear pain and headaches that sent her back to the doctor. They fitted her with two mouth guards. Told her to wear the bottom one every minute except when she is eating and the top, which is massive, only at night. She doesn't wear any bottom guard at night. She was devastated because she has a job as a lobbyist and couldn't imagine how she was going to go around with a big bottom guard all day. About a month later, everything is going back into place, the ear aches and headaches are gone, and shortly she will be able to stop wearing the bottom guard during the day. Since your daughter is still quite young I would be very encouraged that this is a treatable condition. She will probably have to wear night guards for the rest of her life to stop night teeth grinding and to keep the teeth from shifting. Just make sure that she goes to someone who knows a great deal about all this. The first time we just went to the regular dentist. The second time it was a dentist who specializes in TMJ. If you live in the DC area, I can get the name of her dentist from my daughter. The most important thing is don't panic. Good luck.