Hi Nick,

I am glad to see that you check in here once and awhile... I just wish it was with better news

I wanted to address this statement that you made.......

<< maxillo facial surgeon and neurologist at the same time who tell me it is muscular contraction as they now know that wisdom tooth extraction can provoke muscles to spasm>>

It is not uncommon for a dental patient to have a muscular spasm in their jaw, often the TMJ area, during or after any dental work. Wisdom tooth removal or removal of other posterior teeth or multiple extractions at one time, often in the lower arch, are the times that most people will complain about the muscle spasm. It can be the result of over extending the jaw muscle for the dentist to gain access to the tooth with their instruments. Sometimes it is caused by over extending the jaw for too long a period of time. Other times it is caused by the dentist applying pressure to the lower jaw for a long a period of time.

Some people go into spasm easier or quicker than others. Some people have an immediate symptom of this happening, while some one else may not notice anything until their body starts to calm down from the procedure and they are caught by surprise with this muscle spasm. Yet others might only feel like their jaw is misaligned but have no pain. Everyone is different and there is no way to know if it will become a short or long term problem.

The symptoms of muscle spasms in the jaw are very varied in both pain and duration. They can also cause referred pain to areas that seem unassociated with the area that has gone into spasm. The inflammation from the contracted muscle can spread and the pain associated with that will be different depending on where it has traveled too. For instance the pain directly in the muscle could feel tight, achey, and throb. Pain elsewhere could feel similar or it could be sharp, burning or stinging. It depends on what areas are actually being affected.

Sometimes a person will have a complication with the jaw muscle after dental work and over time it seems to have calmed down.... with maybe an occasional flare here or there. But when that area of the face is irritated or aggravated for whatever reason.... additional dental, a tooth infection or even the wearing of a denture (especially one that is ill fitting) .... the original problem with the muscle resurfaces.

I have seen an assortment of these issues occur in varying degrees countless times and the earlier the diagnosis the less likely it is to become a long term chronic problem. With that said, it is not a clear cut issue to diagnose either.

I have TMJ problems stemming back from and injury when I was a little girl. There are times when my lower left jaw area is quite painful and the pain radiates up my jaw in to my ear, sometimes my eye. It is pretty relentless until the spasm subsides. Having dealt with this for so many years, I know that it occurs when I have dental work on my lower arch or if I am stressed and clench my teeth for too long a period of time. During these episodes, I apply hot moist compresses a few times a day, I am mindful of how I am chewing as to give my jaw a rest, mindful not to clench and also mindful of the angle that my head is when I sleep to put myself in as comfortable and relaxing a position as much as possible. I take homeopathy... both arnica and gelsimium throughout the day(s), and I take lemon balm tincture in a small amount of water for the same duration. My pain may last for several hours or several days. But it will go away just as suddenly as it appears. So I know for me, it is a muscle spasm.

Bryanna