Has anyone here been told they don’t have TMJ anymore even though you were previously diagnosed and treated for it before?
Hello,
I was diagnosed with TMJ/TMD back in 2018 in my country by a TMJ specialist and underwent years of treatment (braces + appliances/orthotics) until around 2022. My main symptoms before were recurring migraines/cluster headaches around the right temple and behind the eye, jaw imbalance, clenching, and headaches that would get triggered after eating.
Recently the symptoms came back again around late March 2026, especially the temple migraines. I was offered to use a temporary bite appliance made by my previous TMJ specialist, the migraines and symptoms noticeably stopped. That’s why I still suspected it was bite/TMJ related.
But I just saw a specialist in another country and he said he couldn’t find classic TMJ signs like jaw pain, clicking, locking, etc. during the examination. He thinks the migraines are more nerve-related and referred me to a neurologist instead. (He even checked my bite w articulating paper, and even saw my Previous X-Ray scans proving Vertical bite insufficiency in dimension)
Now I’m honestly confused whether:
- this is still somehow TMJ-related but presenting differently,
- or if the migraines are actually neurological and the bite appliance is only indirectly helping.
Has anyone else experienced:
- Previously being diagnosed and treated for TMJ successfully, but later another specialist says it’s not TMJ anymore?
- Migraines/cluster headaches that improved with splints or bite appliances?
- Being redirected by a dentist/orthodontist/TMJ specialist to a neurologist because they believed the headaches weren’t caused by TMJ?
Would really appreciate hearing similar experiences because right now I feel stuck between dentistry/TMJ and neurology.