Instead of braces, I had retainers when I was growing up. I had a variety of different ones that, among other things, spread the roof of my mouth and realigned my bite.

Later, I had a lot of tmd issues. The dentist said that a lot of times orthodontia can actually CAUSE or exacerbate these issues. I got a different splint/retainer which allowed my jaw to return to a more natural position, after which he adjusted my bite slightly. Since then I have had very little trouble with my jaw (I do still wear the splint at night only to prevent grinding my teeth).

I would suggest that you find out if your dentist is Pankey Institute certified and, if not, maybe get a second opinion from one who is. You can look this up here: http://www.pankeydentist.org/