Hi Larry, welcome to OCF. Congrats on being a 10 year oral cancer survivor!!!! Did you have radiation for your tongue cancer? Did you have problems opening your mouth afterwards or is this something more recent? You may have what is called trismus, that is a condition where you have very limited opening of your mouth and to open wide is impossible. The muscles have constricted. It is pretty common for people who have had radiation to struggle to maintain a decent opening. TMJ from what I understand is more pain in the jaw joint area and/or clicking sound when you eat.

Be careful with your appointment, surgeons cut and this could be something that can be helped with physical theraphy, exercises and a therabite or similar appliance.



Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile