I didn't read everything in detail, but if you never left the NTI
in for even one whole night, how could you deem it a failure?

Nobody said getting control of extreme clenching was a piece of cake.

Plus, just because a neurologist prescribed an NTI, all NTI's are
not alike and you may need to experiment a little on vertical
opening, slide bars, etc.

The fact that the NTI changed your symptoms is actually a good
indication that you are on the right track with the clenching
being a large part of your problem.

I don't think I've ever seen a clencher that could not be helped
with an NTI. I have seen a few patients who wouldn't let it
happen.

If you are serious about dealing with your problem, give us a
basic geographical location and we might have a name in mind
for a referral.
ok look, i was a clencher in the first place then dislocated,tore,
injured, whatever my tmj. JIM BOYD made
me two devices not soon after. i wore it for almost three weeks, even
though i would wake up violently clenched down much harder than i
could imagine, and then deal with piercing pain in my jaw joints as
they would relax, and then the pain in both sides of my face was
unbelievable. i dont know if i was injured too soon to have the thing
or what, but it caused me incredible pain. after i stopped wearing the
thing, the nightmare earface pain headache that leveled me stayed for
a couple weeks. now almost a year later, im still dealing with
popping,grating, clenching and neck headaches and eyepain,face
tightness and spasms. nothing else is working, and im tempted to pop
it in again, but i am scared of that pain coming back. The professors
at UCLA also have nothing but bad things to say about the NTI, like it
can cause major injuries or whatever. I dont know , nobody believes my
pain, neurologists,dentist whatever.

On May 15, 10:05 pm, jerm <blown... at (no spam) gmail.com> wrote:



I didn't read everything in detail, but if you never left the NTI
in for even one whole night, how could you deem it a failure?

Nobody said getting control of extreme clenching was a piece of cake.

Plus, just because a neurologist prescribed an NTI, all NTI's are
not alike and you may need to experiment a little on vertical
opening, slide bars, etc.

The fact that the NTI changed your symptoms is actually a good
indication that you are on the right track with the clenching
being a large part of your problem.

I don't think I've ever seen a clencher that could not be helped
with an NTI. I have seen a few patients who wouldn't let it
happen.

If you are serious about dealing with your problem, give us a
basic geographical location and we might have a name in mind
for a referral.
ok look, i was a clencher in the first place then dislocated,tore,
injured, whatever my tmj. JIM BOYD made
me two devices not soon after. i wore it for almost three weeks, even
though i would wake up violently clenched down much harder than i
could imagine, and then deal with piercing pain in my jaw joints as
they would relax, and then the pain in both sides of my face was
unbelievable. i dont know if i was injured too soon to have the thing
or what, but it caused me incredible pain. after i stopped wearing the
thing, the nightmare earface pain headache that leveled me stayed for
a couple weeks. now almost a year later, im still dealing with
popping,grating, clenching and neck headaches and eyepain,face
tightness and spasms. nothing else is working, and im tempted to pop
it in again, but i am scared of that pain coming back. The professors
at UCLA also have nothing but bad things to say about the NTI, like it
can cause major injuries or whatever. I dont know , nobody believes my
pain, neurologists,dentist whatever.

ive also been told that because i have a joint that is popping and
grating every few days, that i have some joint damage
that could be made worse by using an NTI. Also, ive been informed that
the NTI will help quickly, but after three weeks the pain will
return.
It just seems like all the muscles in the back of my head and neck, as
well as my jaw have been in spasm for months, but nobody has given me
any solution for this, except for buckets of pills that just make me
tired. almost a year of this nightmare has been going on, and im
afraid im either making things worse by doing nothing, or worse by
wearing something like the NTI. what the heck do i do?

jerm wrote:
btw, im in huntington beach,ca orange county

That would make Dr. Boyd the obvious choice. But somehow
you didn't stay with him long enough to get things worked
out.
whoa man, easy on the bs im just stating my experience and what ive been told, which is probably bs.

Your dependence upon the 'experts' who are against the NTI
theories are likely to blame for much of your trouble.

Steve

jerm wrote:
btw, im in huntington beach,ca orange county

That would make Dr. Boyd the obvious choice. But somehow
you didn't stay with him long enough to get things worked
out.

Your dependence upon the 'experts' who are against the NTI
theories are likely to blame for much of your trouble.

Steve

ive also been told that because i have a joint that is popping and
grating every few days, that i have some joint damage
that could be made worse by using an NTI.

btw, im in huntington beach,ca orange county

On May 16, 9:56 pm, Steven Fawks <tuthjoc... at (no spam) myturbonet.com> wrote:

jerm wrote:
btw, im in huntington beach,ca orange county

That would make Dr. Boyd the obvious choice. But somehow
you didn't stay with him long enough to get things worked
out.

Your dependence upon the 'experts' who are against the NTI
theories are likely to blame for much of your trouble.

Steve

do i need to get imaging at this point ??.....seems like i never even
got an exam before the NTI. He just popped one in.

Well, I ain't no "TMJ expert", but I know of some cases where the
"experts" did way more harm than good!

Like I said earlier, NTI dentists get so used to listening for a
few minutes, making an NTI, and a week later things are much better,
that a lot of diagnostic testing is usually not worth the effort
or expense.

Get control of the clenching monster and patients get better. Pretty
plain and simple.

Once in a while, things do not respond positively for the first
NTI design. If the patient disappears, does not report the
problems, and help work towards a solution, there is nothing
that can be done. Especially if they don't trust the possibility
that a simple piece of plastic can help them more than serveral
'experts' with white coats.

I've had patients with a class II (overbite) who needed a maxillary
NTI with a shelf cut into it to reduce the total opening with the
NTI in place. I've had patients with very worn dentition that needed
maxillary and mandibular NTIs that opened the bite 4-6 mm.

I've had a few patients return and say, "I can't wear that thing"
(which is total BS). I've had a few with such a messed up arrangement
of teeth that I really couldn't figure out how to construct a decent
NTI.

I can't really tell you much more from here. A good NTI dentist is
where I would go and work with them to find the best design for you.

Difficult cases don't always resolve every symptom, and may not
feel great in a week or two. That doesn't mean that there are
more effective, safer treatments available.

JMO,

Steve

do i need to get imaging at this point ??.....seems like i never even
got an exam before the NTI. He just popped one in.

well, i tried wearing it last night, and it did help the back of my
neck,head pain, but
the cramping pain on the side of my jaw that pops seems worse.

do i need to get imaging at this point ??.....seems like i never even
got an exam before the NTI. He just popped one in.


well, i tried wearing it last night, and it did help the back of my
neck,head pain, but
the cramping pain on the side of my jaw that pops seems worse.

Well, I ain't no "TMJ expert", but I know of some cases where the
"experts" did way more harm than good!

Like I said earlier, NTI dentists get so used to listening for a
few minutes, making an NTI, and a week later things are much better,
that a lot of diagnostic testing is usually not worth the effort
or expense.

Get control of the clenching monster and patients get better. Pretty
plain and simple.

Once in a while, things do not respond positively for the first
NTI design. If the patient disappears, does not report the
problems, and help work towards a solution, there is nothing
that can be done. Especially if they don't trust the possibility
that a simple piece of plastic can help them more than serveral
'experts' with white coats.

I've had patients with a class II (overbite) who needed a maxillary
NTI with a shelf cut into it to reduce the total opening with the
NTI in place. I've had patients with very worn dentition that needed
maxillary and mandibular NTIs that opened the bite 4-6 mm.

I've had a few patients return and say, "I can't wear that thing"
(which is total BS). I've had a few with such a messed up arrangement
of teeth that I really couldn't figure out how to construct a decent
NTI.

I can't really tell you much more from here. A good NTI dentist is
where I would go and work with them to find the best design for you.

Difficult cases don't always resolve every symptom, and may not
feel great in a week or two. That doesn't mean that there are
more effective, safer treatments available.

JMO,
Steve





do i need to get imaging at this point ??.....seems like i never even
got an exam before the NTI. He just popped one in.


well, i tried wearing it last night, and it did help the back of my
neck,head pain, but
the cramping pain on the side of my jaw that pops seems worse.

Difficult cases don't always resolve every symptom, and may not
feel great in a week or two. That doesn't mean that there are
more effective, safer treatments available.


thanks for the reply steve, i might have to give it another go,
especially since the white coats dont seem
to believe what im going thru, and their treatment has done nothing
for the spasms.
JMO,

Steve

BTW <shooting fish in a barrel> it's the concussion, not
the bullet that gets them.

BTW <shooting fish in a barrel> it's the concussion, not
the bullet that gets them.

Well said and bloody well right !

Right as Rain, Sound as the Pound, Bob's your Uncle.