regulators and TMJ

[harmonicaguru]

I am about to replace my ancient regulator. I have TMJ problems which typically become worse when diving. Is there a regulator on the market with a mouthpiece designed to have less of an impact on the jaw? (One that actually works, that is.)

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Mouthpiece design is important but so are a couple other factors.

The Comfobite mouthpiece used/sold by Aqualung works well as it has an arch that rests against your upper pallet.

Another option is the Seacure mouthpiece that you essentially heat in hot water and then custom fit to your teeth. They are popular but I am not a big fan from a safety perspective. In the real world 2 out of 3 times an OOA diver will mug you for your primary and the long and hard bite tabs, that are by definition not going to fit anyway, make it harder to the semi-panicked/panicked diver to get it in his or her mouth and get air. That creates safety issues for both of you.

A much more important consideration is hose lenght. A hose that is 2 to 4 inches too long will push the second stage to the left while ahose that is 2 to 4 inches too short will pull it too the right and either way the constant force on the hose requires you to exerty much more jaw pressure to hold the second stage in place regardless of the mouthpiece design. So your best bet is to dive and feel what direction, if any, the second stage is being pushed or pulled and replace the hose with one that is suitably longer or shorter.

 

[Digger54]

I am about to replace my ancient regulator. I have TMJ problems which typically become worse when diving. Is there a regulator on the market with a mouthpiece designed to have less of an impact on the jaw? (One that actually works, that is.)

TMJ problems can stem from a variety of causes, so it would be wise to seek the opinion of a medical and/or dental professional as to what sort of position your jaw needs to be in to give you the best relief. Then go from there. It may be possible that there is NO regulator out there that will give you any relief without having some sort of therapy first.

To ask what sort of reg you should use for TMJ without knowing the root cause is sort of like asking what you should do for knee pain without knowing if it is tendonitis, a torn ligament, or a cartilage issue.

 

[Jimmer]

For the record, when a diver is having an OOA, they don't give a tiny rat's *** that you have a molded Seacure. I know from personal experience when my cousin's reg started freeflowing and he started to panick at 120'. He said he didn't even notice it was a molded mouthpiece until we were back under control at 15 foot, doing a safety stop.

 

[Nemrod]

You might try a side exhaust regulator like the Oceanic Omega. I have jaw problems also stemming from an auto accident when a child.

Of course there is a solution and it is one of the reasons I dive the regulators I do--DOUBLE HOSE--regulators. Yep, the mouthpiece is virtually weightless and you do not clamp on it the way you have to with a hubcab in the face single hose. Then of course they are also so much quieter, smoother, no bubbles beating your ears or obscuring your vision and reliability is much higher and they are far more durable, alas, they pretty much quit making them 40 years ago with exception of Nemrod (1998) and the recent half **** attempt by AL called the new Mistral.

Side note, the small lightweight side breathers like the Tekna T2100 series (defunct) and the still produced Oceanic Omega are less stressful on the jaw and teeth than the hubcap in the face types--if you must use a single hose.

N

 

[IslandCowgirl]

I have suffered from the effects of TMJ for years. When I first started diving, the regulator really messed up my jaw. I have installed the SeaCure mouthpiece on all 3 of my regs and it helps alot. There are different mouthpieces for different regs. Good Luck!

 

[Aelvin]

How last are those seacure mouth piece?

 

[diversteve]

I recently upgraded my reg to one with a swivel on the 2nd stage. Prior to that I had a similar model from the same mfr. with the same hoselength.

I now notice a huge reduction in jaw fatigue at the end of the day now as the swivel moves when I rotate my head during a dive. Before when I turned to the right, I could feel the resistance of the hose.

Not sure if this will help - my sister has TMJ so I'm aware of the condition - but it might be worth considering.

Also what Nemrod posted makes sense, look for the smallest, lightest 2nd stage you can find. Atomic uses Titanium components to reduce the weight of theirs, I think Scubapro does also. The Mares "Metal" series on the other hand might not be a good option.

 

[tep]

I thnk that the mouthpiece on the Atomic regs (also available separately) is one of the nicer non-custom ones, though there are lighter 2nd stages around.

I have *minor* TMJ, and and I think the next step for me will be a swivel on the 2nd stage...

 

[kmitch]

Solutions to help TMJ-

1. Seacure mouthpiece.
2. Second stage swivel
3. mouthpiece like on the atomics, mass produced by Innovative Scuba Concepts

Unfortunately, all these options require the purchase of your own equipment. I suggest looking at the seacure first because it is one of the cheapest and most effective means to eliminate TMJ. Make sure you size it for your regulator!