@John Proper Hi John! Thanks for your response! I haven’t flown since this trip, because as you described it the pain was unbearable. The dentist I went to who specialized in TMJ treatment showed my TMJ joints sit more posterior and superior than they should. With decreased healthy “joint space” for appropriate moving without the “clicking.” On the left side, I already have slight arthritic changes to the joint because you “injure” it every time you “click” upon opening. Left side is the worst for ear pain as well. I’m hopeful that in moving my teeth forward it will decompress my joints, allowing for appropriate muscle and nerve function allowing the muscles/nerves innervating my eustachian tube to have the ability to function properly again. I recently received some further training and certification regarding pediatric feeding/swallowing. The course discussed myo, airway, palates, and tongue/lip/cheek/ties. In childhood your tongue is supposed to shape your palate, now if you have a tongue tie and your tongue does not rest on the palate as it should you see high narrow palates. When taking this course I began looking at my own mouth lol and realized I also have upper lip tie, lower lip tie, and possibly a tongue tie. However, I’ve had no speech problems or functional movement limitations from these things. But I do have a palate on the more narrow side and a deviated septum (palate is the floor of the nose) so I wonder if this has impacted by palate/airway development. I also have more rounded shoulders and a forward head posture so I wonder if the ties could be contributing to postural/muscular/overall tension thus impacting TMJ and eustachian tube function. I’m hopeful that in decompressing the joints and achieving structural alignment my muscles can function appropriately again. If that doesn’t work I guess I’ll look into PT, my ties….I don’t know if palate expansion or a septoplasty would help my case either. I’m seeing these things a ton in the kids I treat and no one is looking at the WHOLE body! Large majority of providers in my area tell my families tongue ties do not exist!

@John Proper Thank you for your recommendations I will definitely look into the concerns you brought up! I wanted to join this group to get someone else’s opinion on the plan of care or if someone has found something effective with similar symptoms!