Tinnitus and Braces — Using Night Time Retainer Is Spiking My Tinnitus Loudness?

[Amar]

Hey everyone,

I originally got tinnitus is 2016 after falling off a water slide and hitting a pool ear first. It has been 90% the same pitch and loudness but occasionally goes up and down.

I began orthodontic treatment for my horrible teeth arrangement in 2019 and generally my tinnitus was not affected that much but I did feel the "sharpness" of the "eeeeeeeeeeee" noise was getting worse when there was pressure on my teeth.

I finished treatment sometime in 2021 and in August of 2022 I was traveling for 2 months and broke my nighttime retainer and couldn't wear it anymore. Not wearing it made my teeth start to slowly go back to their original arrangement which alleviated the constant pressure I was putting on them night after night.

I think this contributed to a lower loudness of my tinnitus. Reason I believe this to be true is I have recently ordered the same night time retainer and I am forcing it onto my teeth which is very painful but it has been working and my teeth are slowly going back to their original "treated" alignment. The bad thing is my tinnitus started getting louder as I have been doing this. The timing can't be a coincidence in my mind but at the same time I did get tinnitus when I never even had braces in the first place which doesn't help my case.

I feel as if the pressure my teeth are experiencing is causing nerves to be more active/pinched? Not really sure.

Just wanted to post this to see if anyone else has had a similar experience?

 

[fishbone]

I am forcing it onto my teeth which is very painful

Pain can cause stress, and this can possibly annoy the tinnitus.

 

[NYCGuy]

My tinnitus is caused by the jaw and neck, so for sure that can be the cause of your tinnitus.