u/Stunning-Rate-9749

Does anyone know of any specialists in the Wisconsin area or even Illinois that they had luck with. I’ve given up on my insurance covering it and currently the closest place to me doesn’t take my insurance and I’m struggling to find a good specialist. I have an appointment with a specialist near me soon but honestly, I’m not hopeful in getting help. They just give you a splint from what I’m seeing from reviews and I’m aware with tmj there’s always a bigger picture of the root cause. Thank you in advance!

I clench at night and I have tmj. Honestly my jaw pain/ facial muscle pain / ear pain is at bay and for some reason doesn’t bother me too much. I do experience it no doubt but It comes and goes in flares and I can get it do fade away and become livable to deal with. The thing that has been getting me the most is tooth pain from clenching. I have no idea what to do to help myself other than meditate and try to remain calm.

I do have a messed up pelvic floor and I am in pelvic floor physical therapy and I’ve heard often the jaw is highly connected to your pelvic floor so I’ve been very adamant in treating that.

I have an appointment next week to see a tmj specialist but the tooth pain in the mean time is killing me. I know I clench HARD at night I wake up often and feel myself clenching very hard. I got a temporary otc mouth guard but then I read all over it to not wear it for help with tmj. I still molded it though and never used it, until recently. I wore it one night desperate for relief and I woke up ready to jump out of bed elated from the relief as far as tooth pain goes. Later that day though my jaw felt extremely stiff and I thought about everything I read relating to the otc mouth guards possibly causing lock jaw. So I didn’t wear it again last night. But of course I woke up with horrible tooth pain. I’m genuinely concerned about cracking my one or some of my teeth. I think im just going to bite the bullet and continue to wear the otc mouth guard until I see the specialist. I simply can’t handle this tooth pain anymore to the point where I avoid sleep.

I do have a deviated septum and think that’s not helping at all considering an airway restriction. I do wear nose strips because of this and I do take magnesium before bed at night.

I’m on words to describe how over it I am when it comes to the tooth pain and sensitivity. Anyone have any tips as for ways to possibly help myself find some relief. I do have a muscle relaxer but I don’t take it every night as it causes unwanted symptoms. During flare ups I do take it though. Should I just be taking this every night? Any advice helps, thank you in advance.