Oral Splints, Occlusal Orthotics, and Oral Appliances

Mouthguards come in various shapes and colors, with other unique features. Most commonly, they’re used to guard the teeth, as the name suggests. When indicated for jaw pain or headaches, mouthguards are designed to alter the mechanics of the jaw muscles and the joint. The exact mechanism by which mouthguards improve jaw symptoms is not well known, but it is thought that a strong mechanism of mouthguards could be behavior modification.

Some patients think that because mouthguards improve their symptoms dramatically, there is a problem with their jaw alignment. There is little to no scientific proof that jaw alignment is to be blamed for common TMJ symptoms.

Our bite (dental occlusion) is dynamic and always adapting to the demands (functional, behavioral, and physiological) of the surrounding tissues. The teeth and jawbone structure is harmoniously maintained thanks to the force distribution between the maxilla and mandible; the relation of the upper and lower teeth allows this force to be distributed in a specific pattern. Mouthguards change the force distribution between the maxilla and mandible.

When using a mouthguard, there’s always a risk that the mouthguard will redirect the usual forces of the bite. We see bite changes more commonly in patients who are between the ages of 10-25 and in patients who have a history of orthodontic treatment. There are ways to minimize unwanted bite changes from mouthguards, the most important being to have your dentist or TMJ specialist check the mouthguard at least 2-3 times a year.

Watch a video on how mouthguards help TMJ locking.