I got my MORA (mandibular orthopedic repositioning appliance) yesterday morning. It was not quite what I had expected. When I looked up photos on the Internet, they all showed the clear plastic part over the bottom back teeth and metal behind the bottom front teeth. My MORA is pink. There is no metal connector. It's all pink plastic. The connector part goes across the top of my front teeth, much like a night guard without covering as much of my teeth. The pink sort of blends with my tongue if you're not staring at my mouth. I have to wear this day and night except when I'm eating or brushing my teeth. I am allowed to drink anything and eat soft foods such as pudding or yogurt with it in my mouth. For all other foods, it must come out (I will have a separate blog entry about foods, so watch for that in the near future). It makes me sound funny when I talk; I have a lisp. Dr V said this will go away within a few days as my tongue adjusts to the MORA. A few people have noticed it by either seeing it or hearing the lisp and they've said something. Instead of going into the long, drawn-out story of what it is and why I have it, I tell them it's a sort of retainer I have to wear for a little while. They hear the word "retainer" and they need no further explanation. It works. I can already feel a difference in my jaw from when I am wearing it and when I am not. This may sound crazy but when it is in, there's no headache, no shoulder pain, no neck pain, very little jaw pain, and some discomfort in my mouth (including dryness) as I get used to it. When I take it out to eat or brush my teeth, it feels odd. My mouth/jaw hurt. My neck starts to hurt. Maybe it's all in my head, but that's fine. Maybe it will help keep me on track with wearing it 24/7. I see Dr V in a week to see if I need adjustments... I will see him 3 weeks after that for a check-up on how well it's working. At that appointment he will also determine if I need to keep wearing it during the day or just at night. I'm expecting to have to wear it 24/7 for a while, so I'm prepared for him to say I have to keep wearing it all the time. However, if it quickly goes to just at night, I will be thrilled. Thought of the Day: "There are very few people who don't become more interesting when they stop talking." - Mary Lowry I am hoping to abstain from too much talking until I get more used to this MORA. Maybe then I will seem more interesting to others. ;)
2 Comments
Heather
8/17/2012 12:32:39 pm
Your post was really interesting. I've never heard of the MORA before. I've had TMJ for 10 years (no jaw damage, but lots of daily pain and headaches). Obviously, I've tried many things, but none of them helped much. I guess I should consult my doc about this to see if it might help me. Here's hoping it continues to work for you!
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Shauna
8/17/2012 12:46:11 pm
Heather - You should definitely ask if it is something that might work for you. I got mine through my dentist. My insurance didn't cover any of it, but if it turns out to do the job the dentist said it will, then the money was well spent. Soon I will write/post another entry about the MORA and adjusting to it. In the meantime, I am working on a food entry.
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January 2013
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