I was just thinking...since I already wear a splint am I going to have the same kind of muscle tightness as everyone else who does after surgery? Yet another question for the dr. I can relate to everyone who has worn the dreaded splint. It is a pain in the a** to put it mildly. I think sometimes it hurts more than helps and am personally sick of wearing it. When I talk with it in I have a lisp, my teeth get sore, and sometimes I feel like I'm choking. And sometimes it makes my jaw hurt even more. My TMJ doc wants me to wear it when I eat but that is just impossible since with it in I have at least a 1/2 inch gap in my front teeth. Without it my front teeth don't even touch. I'm already on a soft-chew diet and have been for quite awhile. I have been craving a bagel with cream cheese...mmm that sounds SO good. Or to be able to eat certain foods without a fork would be nice. I just want to be able to eat whatever I want again. I don't even know if the surgery will help my jaw, but I'm praying it does. My TMJ doc can't tell me for sure but he thinks it will. So anyway, thanks for listening again to my complaints. My jaw hurts a lot today and I just needed to vent.