You may have all heard the phrase "Night Guard" and "Teeth Grinding" associated with it. Unfortunately, most dentists who prescribe and fabricate night guards have little or no advanced training in the area of TMJ treatment or balanced occlusion. A common night guard will help protect your teeth from wear, but may not have the balance which is needed for your jaw to relax or the kind of equillibration for which can minimize damage to your jaw joint (TMJ), help treat mild to advanced gum/periodontal disease, and relieve headaches and soreness of the jaw and teeth.
The splint/orthotic which I make for more complex TMJ issues is called the "Maxillary Anterior Guided Orthosis(MAGO)". The night guards which I make for my patients are fabricated with essentially the same principles, which is why it is effective.
Some of the feedback and results I had from patients include
- comfortable..."It's more comfortable when it's in!"
- facial swelling/inflammation relieved and able to open mouth again properly - 1 week after delivered the appliance.
- jaw pain and stiffness gone..."not only is my jaw better, but even my shoulders are relaxed"
- jaw clicking disappeared..."I lived with it all my life. I can't believe it's gone!"
- teeth sensitivity has gone down..."I got this due to sensitivity after crowns. But now the sensitivity in my whole mouth which I lived with for so long has gone too!"
- sleeping much better..."it was so worth it!"
- "It's wonderful...I even stopped snoring. My whole family is happy."
If you have prolonged tooth discomfort after dental treatment, grinding clenching issues, teeth sensitivity, breaking/chipping/cracking teeth, jaw soreness, headaches/migraines, even vertigo-like symptoms frequently, consider asking about splint therapy with a device like the MAGO.
