Table of Contents
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Understanding TMJ: All the Things You Need to Know
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What Causes TMJ Pain?
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Savior of TMJ Pain: How Mouth Guards Can Help
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How Does It Work?
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Benefits of Using a Mouth Guard for TMJ Pain
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1. Relieving Jaw Joint Tension
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2. Prevent Bruxism
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3. Repositioning the Jaw
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4. Improved Sleep Quality
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Choosing the Right Night Guard for Effective TMJ Treatment
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Are Over-the-Counter Night Guards Effective?
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Bottom Line
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FAQs
Tempromedulibar Disorders (TMDs) are among the most common jaw diseases, primarily due to issues in the Tempromedulibar Joints (TMJ). These diseases are accompanied by intense orofacial pains and discomfort. However, they can be treated with the mere use of mouth guards.
Keep reading the blog to explore how mouth guards can be an effective agent against TMJ pain and TMDs.
Understanding TMJ: All the Things You Need to Know
TMJ is a pair of joints located on both sides of the face that connects your lower jaw with the skull. Operating in a complex motion, it acts as a sliding hinge, enabling the opening and closing of jaws. They also contribute to speech, facial expressions, and swallowing.
However, due to teeth or jaw misalignment, the joint may get dysfunctional causing pain and discomfort which ultimately leads to TMDs. The TMJ pains can be categorized as:
- Joint Pain: The joints (either left, right, or both) undergo mechanical issues or degenerative disorders, accompanied by inflammation and clicking sounds in the joint.
- Muscle Pain: The pain may originate from myofascial muscles due to muscle strain, spasm, or fatigue. It may lead to exacerbated sensitivity and decreased jaw movement. Headaches are also observed in some cases.
What Causes TMJ Pain?
There are multiple causes for issues with TMJ including:
- Teeth grinding/Bruxism
- Teeth and jaw misalignments
- Genetics
- Jaw disc erosion
- Jaw injury
- Sleep apnea
Savior of TMJ Pain: How Mouth Guards Can Help
TMJ pains can be alleviated via multiple surgical and non-surgical treatments. Among all of them, doctors usually start with the least abrasive, yet the most effective treatment i.e. the use of mouth guards or night guards.
Night guards are specialized orthodontic tools, typically made of hard plastics. They are known to be effective in shielding your oral cavity, preventing teeth grinding, and maintaining jaws in a neutral position while sleeping.
How Does It Work?
The guards are tailored according to your oral dimensions to fit properly. When placed in the mouth, they act as an active barrier between both arches.
This prevents direct contact between the teeth and also reduces enamel wear caused by teeth grinding or collisions. They also act as cushions, absorbing and distributing the external pressure.
Due to these functional benefits, orthodontists around the globe recommend wearing night guards as a preventive measure to avoid TMJ. It is also advised to wear at the onset of TMJ pains.
Benefits of Using a Mouth Guard for TMJ Pain
Over time, various research studies have provided evidence supporting the effectiveness of using night guards, a variant of mouth guards, to alleviate TMJ symptoms. Let’s explore the critical role of night guards in TMJ.
1. Relieving Jaw Joint Tension
Night guards offer a non-invasive solution for relieving jaw pain and discomfort. They help to create a barrier between the upper and lower arches, to prevent them from coming in direct contact with each other.
This action helps to reduce the tension on the joints and surrounding muscles caused by unconscious clenching. In addition to relieving tension, it also helps to reduce soreness and inflammation.
2. Prevent Bruxism
Untreated bruxism is a chief contributor to TMDs. However, incorporating night guards into your night routine may help prevent further damage from teeth grinding and manage the symptoms of TMJ pain.
3. Repositioning the Jaw
TMJ pains may occur due to an unsuitable jaw position caused by a change in bite or malocclusion. Especially at night, the jaw is in an incorrect position, which puts the TMJs under strain and results in muscle fatigue the next day.
If not taken action in time, muscle fatigue may lead to TMD. If you feel jaw or muscle strain in the morning it is your sign to start wearing night guards. They help position the mouth in a correct posture, reducing joint strain and inflammation.
4. Improved Sleep Quality
As mentioned earlier, the night guards help to maintain an ideal jaw position while sleeping which helps to get deep relaxation.
Moreover, the prevention of teeth grinding maximizes comfort and reduces jaw tension. Hence, all the factors collectively lead to healthy sleep.
Choosing the Right Night Guard for Effective TMJ Treatment
First of all, you need to identify the root cause of TMJ pains. Once, you or the orthodontists you are seeking, have identified it, get a night guard that can help you deal with the cause.
The effectiveness of night guards depends on their quality, material, thickness, and shape. Every situation and person demands a specialized night guard, tailored to treat their cause.
Moreover, regarding TMJ pain, you may need specialized night guards that offer additional benefits like stabilization and jaw repositioning. Some of the most common types of mouth guards used for TMJ pain are explained below:
NTI-TSS
Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition Tension Suppression Systems (NTI-TSS) are specialized oral tools, made of acrylic or resins, typically worn on two front teeth. If you have migraines or severe headaches due to TMJ, prefer an NTI night guard. It helps to prevent contact between upper and lower teeth and helps relax jaws.
Stabilization Splint
The stabilization splint is extremely helpful in dealing with bruxism. They also assist in relaxing the jaw and protecting the tooth enamel. However, if you do teeth clenching, they might not be able to help.
Repositioning Splint
This particular type of mouth guard operates in conjunction with a lower jaw. It helps to release the pressure in the jaw caused due to misalignment.
Are Over-the-Counter Night Guards Effective?
Some people may be inclined towards over-the-counter night guards, the ones that are readily available in the stores, due to their cheap cost. However, that is the biggest scam one can ever get into.
Instead of getting relief you may be actually exacerbating the situation. Over-the-counter night guards are not custom-fit, hence, they are neither comfortable nor effective.
Hence, we recommend investing in a suitable night guard, tailored to meet your requirements. However, if you have moderate to extreme TMJ pain, consult with your specialists first and then get the recommended night guard.
Bottom Line
Getting TMJ pain can be normal for people with misaligned teeth or bruxism, however, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you are facing any such issue, take effective measures to take control of it; otherwise, you may end up with chronic TMDs.
Even if you don’t have jaw misalignment or bruxism, we recommend you wear night guards. If you are unsure or have queries about night guards you may contact Aligner32 at (888) 861-1884.
FAQs
Does my TMJ treatment require both night guards and physical therapy?
It depends on the severity of the underlying conditions. Night guards are effective only to some extent and may be sufficient if the underlying cause is bruxism.
Are night guards effective for all types of TMJ?
No, they are not effective for all types. However, they do help in dealing with most of the TMJ disorders where the underlying cause is teeth grinding, clenching, or jaw misalignment.
Are there any risks of wearing night guards?
In general, night guards do not have any potential side effects; however, some may feel temporary jaw discomfort during the adjustment period.
Moreover, ill-fitted night guards may lead to gum soreness and inflammation. The use of night guards also leads to excessive saliva production and drooling during the initial period.
