Hello internet-
I am SO VERY GRATEFUL for the people who share their experiences, may the old Gods and the new bless them. So, I will also share.
The more I understand the less I will be afraid of something, so I have been reading about a MSE, a form of MARPE for the last week. I actually just learned they are a thing last week at a free consultation relatively close to home, and after what feels like reading and watching the entire internet, it really does seem like the best choice for me. So here I go.
My backstory:
Traumatic birth. I got halfway out and a doctor shoved me back in and my mom had a C-Section. I was "fine" but that messed up my neck big time, suffered fainting spells my whole life, terrible headaches, migraines, insomnia, anxiety and have just been a grouchy miserable person my whole life. (Was bottle fed also, just learned recently that doesn't help my case. Didn't thumb suck but always had the corner of my blankie in my mouth so that sounds like almost the same thing.) Anyways, looking back, this led to the shape of my palate, bite and everything. By age 15 I was wearing special TMJ Disorder bite guards unless eating. (No actual orthodontics for me as a kid.) I remember I was on a school field trip to Washing DC with my mom as a chaperone and the entire weekend I had lost hearing in 1 ear. She thought I had a bad infection and kept pouring peroxide in it every chance she could. But, my TMJ was just that inflamed. I had sunglasses and a broody face on in every photo, I looked so cool.
Age 19:
One day I was driving 0 miles per hour and was rear ended by someone doing 70 miles per hour. I'm not sure they lived, so I consider myself lucky and do the best I can. Everything has been worse since. Not sure how I made it through college. Oh yeah, Vicodin, Xanax and coffee.
Last 20 years: (I'm 35 now)
Yes, I've tried that. Heaps of medications (for anxiety, depression, insomnia, nerve pain, opiates, muscle relaxers, a nice cocktail of several...) nothing works or they just make things worse. JK Norco definitely works, most of the time, but no one wants to give me any because it causes addiction and also no I do not want to ever become dependent on anything. Injections- numbing stuff was useless, prolo-therapy helped a lot actually. It's a basic mix of saline and dextrose and is injected in between bone and muscle to help your body grow more connective tissue. It’s safe and not that bad. I had 3 sessions, about a dozen shots each time, 3 weeks apart, all down my neck, top of my shoulder and around my shoulder blade. Helps a lot with spasms. Chiropractic, regular and NUCCA. Massage, feels good, last about 1 freaking day. Cranio-sacral, sure it helps, about as much as a massage. Supplements, turmeric, whole food organic fermented non GMO multis, magnesium, St. Johns Wort, etc. Physical therapy never helped. Although last year I seen a different "Headache Specialist" PT guy who did teach me chin tucks and proper posture which did help. Everyone else just wants me to do neck exercises to strengthen and tone neck muscles. Sure, but not going to fix my bite.
Most days, I eat some kale, slather myself in essential oil, toss some crystals in my bra, I’m good to go about my miserable day. People smell me coming before they see me coming. Tiger Balm is my fave FYI.
About a year ago I did discover NeuroMuscular Dentistry. I went to 5 consultations. Most of these people were trained at the Las Vegas Institute (LVI) and push a 24/7 fixed orthotic for a few months as phase 1. Then, full mouth reconstruction as phase 2, with braces. Umm, no thank you. Also that is a bajllion dollars. One of these guys took classes at LVI and didn’t buy into it because he had been working with the same holistic concept for decades and did not believe in a fixed orthotic or that a full mouth reconstruction was necessary. So, I picked him. Also his office worked magic to accept insurance. I committed to phase 1 which helped stabilize me tremendously. I was scanned and X rayed and hooked up to TENS machines for an hour at a time, my physiological ideal bite was determined, that’s how my orthotic was created. It was adjusted multiple times over days, weeks and months until comfortable, and I am good! Mostly! Better than I have in a long time! Yes! Now, to stay this way…
I planned on going through phase 2 with him, with just ortho (Schwartz expander and braces), to make sure my bite was set to this new awesome position. He worked together in house with an orthodontist but his guy is no longer accepting new people into ortho so he can eventually retire. Boo.
This last month:
I went to 3 more consultations with orthodontists. I am looking for either someone to work with my guy, or someone to work with alone. Either way, my current guy is all for me doing what is best whether it’s including him or not. Cool.
Consult 1 was a know it all jerk who pushed surgery, who also breathed heavily into my mouth. Eww. Consult 2 thinks Damon braces fix everything and I’m fine. Consult 3 was the first person to ever ask about a deviated septum, sleep apnea, sinus issues, and generally all around be concerned for my well being. Loved her! She is the one who mentioned a MSE and Dr. Won Moon. She referred me to a periodontist she works super closely with 2 miles from her office. The perio would evaluate me and do the CBCT scans to see if I am even eligible because I look that stinkin narrow. The MSE would be placed by the perio. She has hundreds of reviews, that are all 5 stars. The ortho also has a 4.9 rating overall. Ka-Ching. This is every day for them, hello new world of information.
I have hope, terrified hope. Yes I have many tattoos, yes I have had shots and cavities filled and broke a bone in my hand during that car accident. But no, I have not had screws in my freakin head. No surgery. Nothing invasive. The more I read about a MSE the better it sounds. However, no, I do not want screws in my head! Also, by me cranking the MSE, I would be the one spitting open my freaking skull. I’m going to need to warm up to this. I feel pretty bad ass as is, but if I go through with this I am going to feel like Xena, a Warrior Princess of Pain >_<
So yes, I have lived in bite guards for 20 years. I do not want to go on another 50 years like I have the last 20. I want to fix this permanently, the best I can. I am just now about to kind of afford this treatment. So, afraid or not, I don't have much of an option.