Using Night Guards to Prevent TMJ


What is temporomandibular joint disorder?

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is a cluster of symptoms caused by pressure placed on the TMJ — the joint that attaches your jawbone to your skull on both sides of your head. The symptoms of TMJ include a painful and tender jaw, headaches akin to earaches, difficulty chewing or an inability to chew, facial pain, reduced range of motion in your jaw, dizziness, ringing in your ears, and a clicking or popping sound in your jaw.

TMJ is caused by a wide variety of factors ranging from arthritis to poor posture to genetic influences. One of most common risk factors in the development or exacerbation of TMJ symptoms is the grinding and clenching of your teeth at night or even during the day.

TMJ night guards in NE Calgary can protect you from the symptoms of TMJ.

How can night guards in NE Calgary prevent TMJ?

Night guards that can help prevent TMJ are referred to by several names: night guards, bite guards, mouth guards, and stabilization splints. While there are many such devices with a variety of features that distinguish them, they’re generally manufactured from acrylic resin and may cover part or all of the upper or lower jaw, or both.

While different mouthguards work in different ways, they all have the same goal — to prevent the grinding and/or clenching of teeth to reduce the pressure imposed on your jaw when you do so. There are several different types of mouthguards available that accomplish that goal to varying degrees, but all should be used only temporarily to avoid causing permanent changes to your bite and the alignment of your jaw.

Mouthguards can be purchased off-the-shelf and online from drugstores and sporting goods stores, and boil-in-the-bag options can even be customized for your jaw at home. Dentists do not recommend the use of over-the-shelf, online-purchased, or DIY mouthguards for the treatment of TMJ. Such mouthguards are designed to fit as many people as possible, but perfectly fit no one — except by lucky coincidence.

Mouthguards intended to treat or prevent the symptoms of TMJ should be provided and designed by an orthodontist near you who is aware of your medical and dental history. Effective night guards in NE Calgary will be based on impressions of your teeth and jaw, and then adjusted by your dentist to ensure a proper and effective fit. Your dentist will also provide specific instructions about when and how to wear the mouthguard.

What are the different types of night guards?

There are several different types of mouthguards that can influence the symptoms of TMJ. Which type of mouthguard is appropriate for your medical and dental condition should be determined by an orthodontist in NE Calgary who is aware of your condition and symptoms.

Flat Plane Splint

Flat Plane Splints reduce grinding by covering the whole biting surface of your teeth and is effective in protecting your tooth enamel. Flat Plane Splints do not, however, prevent you from clenching your teeth.

Modified Hawley Splint

The Modified Hawley Splint is worn on your upper jaw to create contact between the six front teeth on the lower jaw and the full upper jaw. The imposition of the splint between the upper jaw and those front teeth on the lower jaw prevent the back teeth  in both jaws from coming into contact. This splint entirely prevents grinding and clenching, and effectively relieves related pressure on the TMJ.

Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition Tension Suppression System (NTI-TSS)

The NTI-TSS is similar to the Modified Hawley Splint, but is smaller because it only establishes contact between the front teeth on both the upper and lower jaw. The NTI-TSS does prevent you from clenching and grinding your teeth, but places more pressure on fewer teeth than the larger Modified Hawley Splint. Because the NTI-TSS is smaller than the Modified Hawley Splint, the NTI_TSS  is also more likely to fall out during the night than the larger option.

Repositioning Splint

Repositioning Splints shift your lower jaw either backwards or forwards. That repositioning of your lower jaw can reduce pressure on the jaw from clenching and grinding, but at the risk of making permanent changes to your bite. For this reason, it is appropriate only for temporary use.

If you’ve been experiencing any symptoms of TMJ, or have discovered — yourself or from a sleeping partner — that you have a habit of grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw as you sleep, discuss with a dentist near you how they can ease the symptoms of TMJ with a night guard.

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