- Joined
- Jun 5, 2025
- Messages
- 1
Hi everyone,
I’ve been struggling with ongoing dental and jaw pain since late 2023, and I’m feeling lost. I'm hoping someone here has had a similar experience or can offer some insight. Here's a summary of what's been happening:
December–February 2024
Went to my dentist for a cavity on my upper lateral incisor.
Diagnosed with additional cavities on upper left teeth and a cracked upper right molar (I had no pain in the molar before this).
Lateral incisor cavity was treated.
Cavities on the upper left were filled, but the premolar filling was too high — I didn’t realize it at the time.
I began clenching a lot and couldn’t relax my bite; something felt “off.”
Returned multiple times for bite adjustments, but the dentist couldn’t find the high spot. I was told to wait and see. Pain persisted.
March–May 2024
The dentist treated the cracked upper right molar.
I reported ongoing pain on the upper left side.
Several adjustments were done, but they kept targeting the wrong teeth.
I started experiencing sharp pain when chewing on the left side.
Out of desperation, my orthodontist suggested shaving down the filling on the upper left molar, and removed it from occlusion.
It later turned out the real issue was a high filling on the upper left premolar. Once that was adjusted, the left-side pain improved.
During one of the bite adjustments on the right molar, I felt a sharp pain. Since then, that tooth has been painful when biting or chewing.
I was told again to "wait it out." The pain has continued.
Current symptoms February - Present 2025
Did root canal in February for right upper molar
Got permanent crown in March
Right upper molar pain when chewing, brushing, tapping, and especially after cleanings.
Left upper molar pain when chewing, though not as intense.
Jaw clicking, tension, and pain when I stretch, yawn, or clench (especially in the morning).
Relief from a deprogrammer appliance (temporarily), which suggests possible bite-related tension.
T-scan recently showed that my front teeth and back molars are making contact, but nothing in between.
I'm overwhelmed and not sure if this is a TMJ issue, an unbalanced bite, or a combination of both.
I’ve seen multiple dentists, an orthodontist, and an endodontist, but I still don’t have a clear diagnosis or treatment plan. I’m cautious about starting full bite rehabilitation without fully understanding the root cause.
I was referred to a TMJ specialist today.
Has anyone gone through something similar?
Is it possible that an unbalanced bite alone could be causing this much pain?
Would you recommend seeing a prosthodontist or occlusion specialist next?
Any advice or shared experiences would be so appreciated. Thank you!
I feel like I made a lot of bad decisions and I don't know what to do.
I’ve been struggling with ongoing dental and jaw pain since late 2023, and I’m feeling lost. I'm hoping someone here has had a similar experience or can offer some insight. Here's a summary of what's been happening:
December–February 2024
Went to my dentist for a cavity on my upper lateral incisor.
Diagnosed with additional cavities on upper left teeth and a cracked upper right molar (I had no pain in the molar before this).
Lateral incisor cavity was treated.
Cavities on the upper left were filled, but the premolar filling was too high — I didn’t realize it at the time.
I began clenching a lot and couldn’t relax my bite; something felt “off.”
Returned multiple times for bite adjustments, but the dentist couldn’t find the high spot. I was told to wait and see. Pain persisted.
March–May 2024
The dentist treated the cracked upper right molar.
I reported ongoing pain on the upper left side.
Several adjustments were done, but they kept targeting the wrong teeth.
I started experiencing sharp pain when chewing on the left side.
Out of desperation, my orthodontist suggested shaving down the filling on the upper left molar, and removed it from occlusion.
It later turned out the real issue was a high filling on the upper left premolar. Once that was adjusted, the left-side pain improved.
During one of the bite adjustments on the right molar, I felt a sharp pain. Since then, that tooth has been painful when biting or chewing.
I was told again to "wait it out." The pain has continued.
Current symptoms February - Present 2025
Did root canal in February for right upper molar
Got permanent crown in March
Right upper molar pain when chewing, brushing, tapping, and especially after cleanings.
Left upper molar pain when chewing, though not as intense.
Jaw clicking, tension, and pain when I stretch, yawn, or clench (especially in the morning).
Relief from a deprogrammer appliance (temporarily), which suggests possible bite-related tension.
T-scan recently showed that my front teeth and back molars are making contact, but nothing in between.
I'm overwhelmed and not sure if this is a TMJ issue, an unbalanced bite, or a combination of both.
I’ve seen multiple dentists, an orthodontist, and an endodontist, but I still don’t have a clear diagnosis or treatment plan. I’m cautious about starting full bite rehabilitation without fully understanding the root cause.
I was referred to a TMJ specialist today.
Has anyone gone through something similar?
Is it possible that an unbalanced bite alone could be causing this much pain?
Would you recommend seeing a prosthodontist or occlusion specialist next?
Any advice or shared experiences would be so appreciated. Thank you!
I feel like I made a lot of bad decisions and I don't know what to do.