I wore a splint for about twenty five years. My jaw used to lock so I could neither open nor close my mouth. The splint I had was worn night and day and only taken out to brush my teeth and then put it back. Because of the splint my teeth all moved so that now when I close my mouth I cannot bite my teeth together. When I became sick with strange neurological symptoms just before my T started (7 yrs ago) I removed my splint as it was worn down and I thought it was causing the problem. I also had been living in China for three years and my TMJ specialist was in New Zealand. Two months ago my wisdom tooth cracked and I was in much pain. No one was able to remove the tooth! Finally I found a dentist to remove it but because I'd worn the splint for twenty five years the only teeth that I could bite on we're my wisdom teeth. The other teeth do not touch. So he told me removing my wisdom tooth was going to cause more trouble because my mouth is deformed. So I began to think my T and other neurological problems might be from my TMJ. I found the doctor who made my original splint. He did a three D scan of my whole head and neck and we discovered that my skull is deformed - especially my TMJ. The original splint he made for me corrected the problem of my jaw getting stuck but since getting my wisdom tooth removed my jaw began to crack again. He removed another wisdom tooth to try to help my mouth close so my teeth touch but still my teeth cannot bite. He is having a new porcelain splint made for me in America and it should arrive next month. I hope that when I have my new splint and my jaw is pulled forward, my ear symptoms may be cured. The scan showed my jaw joints (TMJ) are crushed up into my ear canals. If the splint cures my problems I I'll sure let everyone know. TMJ disorder can cause symptoms that mimic brain tumours and awful things so certainly it could cause trouble such as T. But there are many doctors claiming to treat TMJ disorders who are useless or make it worse! Make sure any doctor you see for TMJ really knows and is qualified!
I was younger than nineteen when my jaw started cracking and locking. I'm now forty eight.
Oh, and surgery is definitely a last resort! Surgery can make it worse due to scar tissue.