tl;dr version: Have any of you experienced pain in your TM joint in the weeks following debonding, and if so, did it resolve itself over time? Is it just an issue of things eventually settling into place?
Obnoxious version:
Before braces, I would occasionally have joint pain on the left side. Maybe an average of once or twice a month and usually only lasting a day or two before settling back down. Usually it was accompanied by that "off track" feeling as well, but overall I didn't consider it a very big deal. Compared to some people's experience with real TM joint issues, mine was very minor. I didn't even list it as a key goal during consultations.
The good news is that the issue gradually improved when they started working on the bite during the second half of treatment. So that's been a huge success that I hadn't banked on.
The only drawback was over the final 6-8 months, I would occasionally have the same thing start to happen on the right side, instead. 
I just chalked it up to the elastics getting heavier and it being a temporary issue caused by my jaw being unnaturally yanked around.Maybe you experienced the same thing during the day when the elastics are pulling one way or the other and your muscles naturally adjust to keep your jaw from getting pulled too far forward or left or right. But when you're asleep, your jaw probably just relaxes and goes with the flow, and the joint gets temporarily pulled a bit out of whack. It was usually in the mornings when things would feel off track, so that's why I assumed it was just a side-effect of the elastics pulling while I'm working on some deep REM. But again, it wasn't that big of a deal, and I wasn't too concerned.
My main issue is that it became more frequent over the first four weeks post-braces, but I just chalked that up to the initial essix retainers throwing the joint off a little by having two layers of material between the back of your bite. Again, I'm thinking it's temporary and things would "settle" once we started with the Hawleys. At least that what I'd heard. But going back and forth now between the essix during the day and the Hawleys at home, as directed, hasn't helped much. In fact, I'm on day 5 in a row of the right side being a little painful when bringing the bite together. That same "off track" feeling, like I have to force it back a little because it's in the wrong "groove." Kind of like the tracks on channel pliers, if you're on the wrong setting. And it tends to get a little worse as the day goes on instead of worse in the morning and improving during the day. Again, not as bad as others' issues, but it's definitely talking to me. Five days is really unusual, but I'm hoping that's it's just a byproduct of bouncing between essix and Hawley.
My question (finally!) is whether it's common - or at least not unheard of - to have a bit of temporary joint pain in the weeks/months after debonding, or during the period when you're alternating between two kinds of retainers (again, as directed), and if you experienced the same thing, did it gradually resolve itself over time when you made the final switch to just Hawleys, or just night time wear, or whatever? Is it just an issue of things eventually settling into place?
I'm not due to go back in for a visit for another 12 weeks, and until then I'll be on this same routine of using both essix and Hawley. I'd prefer to not call the ortho's office if this is common, but if this 5-day example stretches out or begins repeating itself, I'll definitely call, regardless. I suppose worst case scenario, I've just flipped one side for the other. But I'd rather hear that others of you (or even one of you!) had a similar issue resolve itself with this rumored settling!
Sorry for the long post. Seems to be a habit!
