Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 11/16/2008

Question
Hello Susan! I read through a lot of the questions and answers, and I just wanted to tell you my concerns with my tmj issues. About 3 months ago, I started getting terrible pain that felt like it was coming from within my ear. Went to many doctors who had no clue what it was. I went to an ENT and she's the one that suggested it was tmj. She said take anti-inflammatories to ease the pain from inflammation of the jaw. I refuse to live on these, and I don't think they work too well anyway. I went to my dentist who couldn't tell, she thinks it may be from an impacted wisdom tooth. She recommended me to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, who I will be seeing this Tuesday his name is Kameros in Richmond hill. Ever heard of him? . I don't think  its from my tooth and am scared he will not give me proper treatment. Any suggestions or advice about what to do. I can't take this coming and going pain anymore! I'm very depressed and I cry all the time! I don't understand why the spin happens. Its fine when I sleep and eat, it just comes out of no where most of the time. Thanks!

Answer
Dear Stephanie,

I'm uncertain whether you wanted to direct this question to me, judging by your salutation to Susan. However, I do have a few points to contribute.

I do know John Kameros, and he's a fine oral surgeon. As would be the case with any oral surgeon, he will apply appropriate due diligence to determine whether the extraction of your wisdom teeth will confer sufficient benefit to justify the effort and risk. However, I do agree that your first priority should be to seek out the cause and hopefully manage your pain, and it's not clear whether your wisdom teeth are related to this.

To that end, you are best off consulting with any of the local dentists who have made facial/head/neck pain a particular focus of their practice. (The management of facial pain is not a discrete dental specialty, but these practitioners are the closest thing to the real deal.)

Three such dentists in the New York area are:

Dr. Donald Tannenbaum
630 5th Ave., Ste. 1837
New York, NY  10111
Tel:  212-265-0110
Web site: http://www.yourachingface.com/
*****
Dr. Michael Gelb
635 Madison Ave.
New York, NY  10022
Tel:  212-752-1661
Web Site:  http://www.gelbcenter.com
****
Dr. James Uyanik
21 Murray Street
New York, NY 10007
Tel: 212-267-3300
Web Site: http://tribecaoralsurgery.com/index.html


Hope this helps...

Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY