If you are experiencing extreme discomfort or jaw locking, you may be a candidate to wear a mouth guard during the day. Wearing a daytime guard provides stability to the TMJ and discourages teeth clenching or any biting behaviors (such as nail biting or pencil chewing) that could be worsening your symptoms.
A daytime appliance also is a tangible reminder to patients –especially those experiencing stress or anxiety — to keep their jaw in a relaxed position with their teeth apart.
If your TMJ symptoms are severe, you may need to wear a mouth guard both day and night. With a custom-made appliance, you should see some immediate pain relief as well ongoing improvement of your symptoms.
A Day Guard is a bite splint worn on the mandible to provide relief to patients during the day from clenching, grinding teeth, and neck pain.
The labial surface is cutback so acrylic is undetected and a gold, braided bar is added on the lingual for reinforcement. Acrylic will cover the entire lingual surface of teeth.
In conclusion, mouth guards are an important part of TMJ treatment. In many cases, they eliminate or greatly reduce the conditions that cause TMJ pain and discomfort.
Call us today at (205)625-4384 or Request an Appointment to schedule your Free Consultation to see if you are a candidate for the Day Guard