Do Mouthguards Work For TMJ?

The temporomandibular joint or simply TMJ, works as a sliding hinge that connects the jawbone to the skull. It helps in the movement of the jaw allowing you to chew food and have a conversation. Any kind of pain or injury to this joint can lead to TMJ occlusion. That may mean a lot of pain and discomfort, making it difficult for your mouth to function properly. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research estimates that there are as many as 10 million Americans who are currently living with some kind of TMJ disorder.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of someone's temporomandibular joint disorder because everyone is different. Frequent jaw clenching, teeth grinding, or even arthritis can contribute to this uncomfortable condition. Fortunately for many patients, mouthguards have a high success rate in individuals with TMJ to correct the disorder in a non-surgical way.

How Do Mouthguards Work?

Mouthguards are also called "night guards," "stabilization splints," or "bite guards." They fit in your mouth over the upper or lower rows of teeth repositioning the teeth to help treat the symptoms of TMJ disorder. Using a mouthguard is not a permanent fix like surgery. However, mouthguards are a much more affordable option to relieve symptoms for many patients. Best of all, there are many different styles and types of mouthguards that work for TMJ, and each is customized to fit your teeth.

Will A Mouthguard Work for My TMJ Symptoms?

It's difficult to know whether a mouthguard will work for your TMJ symptoms until you try one out, because each case is different. Mouthguard stabilization splints are truly the starting point for resolving discomfort and symptoms of your TMJ. Depending on your oral care and health over time, they may become less effective over time especially if the shape of your teeth change. But they are designed and made to fix the immediate problems in these two ways:

1. They work to hold the jaw in place, which can help the mouth heal if it has been damaged
2. They reduce the wear on teeth caused by grinding, clenching, or gnashing

For patients who brush and floss their teeth as recommended, mouthguards can provide lasting relief for many years, because there aren't new cavities or other changes in your bite that can impact the fit of the mouthguard. In fact, a mouthguard could be all the TMJ disorder treatment you need for the rest of your life.

Treatment Methods Besides a TMJ Mouthguard

Sometimes, mouthguards just don't resolve the problem adequately. Especially if the root issue has to do with bone loss or nerve damage. For example, sometimes pain in the ear can come from TMJ, or it may be a perforated ear drum. The good news is that we have numerous alternative methods for helping relieve TMJ disorder symptoms before proceeding to surgery:

• The least invasive is physical therapy, which involves stretching and strengthening exercises for jaw muscles
• You can also alleviate stress on the jaw by eating softer, smaller pieces of food and reducing the amount of chewy or sticky foods that you eat
• For addressing continuous pain, a maintenance prescription medication like a sedative, pain reliever, or muscle relaxant may also do the trick
• One uncommon approach that may also alleviate TMJ disorder symptoms is a periodic Botox injection to target specific areas where pain is more intense

Keep in mind that for some people, TMJ disorder can sometimes resolve itself by resting your jaw more often. Regularly using heat or ice treatment have also been shown to lessen pain. Everyone's pain threshold is different, so you don't have to wait until it's unbearable to fix it. Contact Kanehl Dental today to discuss a treatment plan and find out if mouthguards will work for your TMJ.