Tonsilitis, Jaw pain, and fixing my bite

So, it's been a long time since my last post. Not because I haven't wanted to write, but because I was waiting for my next consultation. My dentist actually brought my case to a number of other top neuromuscular dentists in the field in order to see the best approach to making my new position (which was found using a jaw orthotic that sits on my lower teeth) permanent.

I'm now left with even more to consider. First off, they asked if I still had my tonsils, which I do. My tonsils and adenoids have been an issue for me since I was very young. They actually are what caused my TMJ and jaw problems to begin with because at a very young age they prevented me from breathing through my nose. I instead had to breath through my mouth and this prevented my upper teeth from forming a proper arch.

To this day I have difficulty breathing and have chronic throat infections monthly. This Friday, I am going to be seeing a ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctor) to determine if I should have my tonsils and adenoids removed. My dentist and ortho are hoping this will help my jaw muscles relax even more and they even said they would not attempt to treat me further without first having my tonsils/adenoids removed since they believe my breathing problem is causing my brain to tell my jaw to retract in order to open my airway.

Even though I am eager to resolve some of the breathing issues I've been living with, I'm also a bit wary of surgery in general. Granted, from what I've read it is one of the most popular surgeries to have and there are very few risks involved other than excessive bleeding in the throat or the chance that your voice will get higher.

Ultimately, this may be something worth getting done. It has clearly been causing me problems for a while now.

Moving on, once my tonsils/adenoids are removed, my doctors are asking me to wait 3-6 months to see how my bite improves and then to fit me for another orthotic. This would be a shorter process to see if they can bring my teeth closer together.

Then, the ortho wants to use a palate expander to move a few of my teeth in my upper arch, then put braces on my upper teeth to reshape them. This would better fit my upper jaw to my lower jaw. After about a year of this, I would then have the caps put on my lower teeth (I would have been wearing my orthotic during this orthodontic work) that would permanently situate my jaw into the place where the orthotic has been holding it.

Thus, I would be left with a more stable bite and simply wear a retainer at night to maintain this ideal bite.

Granted this would be a 3-year process, but not nearly as long as my dentist initially thought, which was at least 5 years. Sadly though, the above process is quoted at being $71,000! Not only would have I have to endure 3 years worth of orthodontic work, but I would be seventy grand in the hole.

My only alternative is having my tonsils removed, getting fit for another orthotic (around $3,000) and then having to replace my orthotics the rest of my life. Granted this isn't the worst scenario, even though the orthotics could very well add up to close the same cost after replacing them for the rest of my life. Still though, my jaw is never completely relaxed when I am constantly taking my orthotic out to chew my food.

I would like to revisit the idea of putting just caps on my teeth and forgetting my upper arch. Then wearing a retainer at night. Maybe once I remove my tonsils/adenoids, my jaw would be more stable? It's worth asking...

My initial reaction was I could probably make this orthotic thing work...just deal with it. Maybe get used to wearing one 70% of the time. It's definitely annoying living with the difference in position of where my jaw wants to sit and where my teeth hold it, but I should weigh the cost of this annoyance to the amount I'd owe if I wen the alternate route.

Some quick math shows that if I live till 90 years old, I'll have spent around $60,000 on orthotics any way. That's if the cost of the orthotic remains the same and doesn't increase with inflation. That's if I don't live until 100. Which is a possibility with my family history as well as the improvements in modern medicine. Also, what about the quality of life? Would I live a less stressful life if I could be done with this orthotic once and for all? Isn't that what money is for? To improve our lives? Who says I wouldn't be able to find this money some way, some how? If I just put my mind to it?

There are so many questions left unanswered, so many things I wish I could know now. That's life right? Doing the best you can in the moment? Making decisions now without having all the information, because no one can possibly have all the information.

Maybe I can go to Canada and have this work done...maybe, maybe...