How to Use TMJ Appliances

TMJ disorder can arise from any number of circumstances. Arthritis can inflame the temporomandibular joint. Or the joint itself can become internally deranged, due to a displaced disc or injured condyle. Finally, TMJ pain may occur simply because of anxiety or a lifetime of bad posture.

After seeing your Los Angeles TMJ treatment expert and trying several remedies at-home and otherwise—recommended therapies can include everything from prescribed antidepressants to applied use of heat and cold—you may decide to try a TMJ appliance. These are alternately called orthotics, occlusal splints, occlusal appliances or simply “night guards”. Similar to what athletes wear to protect their teeth in-game, these devices are custom-fit and can be prescribed to either stabilize (in the event your TMJ symptoms are deemed due to excess teeth-clenching) or reposition (in the event your TMJ symptoms are due to a pathology of the joint).

Splint therapy eases stress on the myofacial muscles and palpates the joints. Factors believed to contribute to TMJ, like tongue thrusting and reverse swallowing, can be managed as well. Most specialists recommend wearing the device while sleeping, plus one hour during the day.

Appliance therapy for TMJ is still being studied, much like the condition itself. Ask your doctor for more information.