SPLINTS RELIEVE TMJ SYMPTOMS

Are you one of the millions of people who suffer from headaches, dizziness, or other symptoms caused by TMJ (temporomandibular joint) syndrome? Maybe we can help. Various types of clear plastic splints can be used to treat TMJ syndrome. A bruxism splint, worn mostly at night, keeps you from grinding your teeth and helps reduce muscle tension. It does not treat the cause of the TMJ symptoms but only allows you to grind against it at night instead of grinding against your base teeth.  You wear down the appliance instead of your teeth.  This is the common "night guard" made by most dentists and is a low level, minimal treatment approach.  A repositioning appliance is worn 24 hours a day to move the dislocated parts of your jaw joint into alignment and allow the joints to heal in their normal anatomical position. A stabilization appliance, also worn 24 hours a day, relaxes your muscles around the jaw joints and attempts to stabilize shifting teeth and changing bite caused by the TMJ problem.  It is effective only as long as it is worn and does not attempt to treat the cause of instability.

Your splint will be custom fitted from impressions of your teeth, to make it as comfortable as possible; and it will not cover the front of your teeth, to make it invisible. You may need to wear a splint for three to twelve months or longer. During that time, we'll adjust the fit as your jaw posture changes.

Treatment

Since the teeth, jaw joints, and muscles can all be involved, treatment for this condition varies with the specific problems you have. Treatment will involve several phases. The first goal is to relieve the muscle spasm and pain, and restore the dislocated disc with in the jaw joint to its normal anatomical position. Then, your dentist must correct the way the teeth fit together. Often a temporary device (known as an orthotic, or "splint") is worn over the lower teeth until the jaw joint is stabilized. Dr. Griffiths typically uses various types of splints that are comfortably worn and not visible to an observer in the first stage of your treatment. Once the jaw joint are fixed your treatment advances into the second stage of bite correction so the splint will no linger have to be worn. Permanent correction of your bite may involve selective re-shaping of the teeth, building crowns on the teeth, orthodontics, or a permanent appliance to lay over the teeth. If the jaw joint itself is damaged, it must be specifically treated. Though infrequent, surgery is sometimes required to correct a damaged joint. Ultimately, your specialist will stabilize your bite so that the teeth, muscles, and joints all work together without strain. The important aim of correcting your bite is to insure optimal long-term health. If you have any of the signs or symptoms mentioned, discuss them with your dentist. Your health is your most priceless possession. It is worth the investment!

The lower jaw is moved forward and pressure is taken off the jaw joint.

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from MyoData, Dallas, TX

PATIENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR WEARING THE ORTHOPEDIC (TMJ) REPOSITIONING APPLIANCE

PURPOSE: 

Since the treatment you are to receive is mainly orthopedic (joint related) in nature, we have fabricated an orthopedic jaw repositioning appliance for you. This appliance will help muscles which are in spasm to relax and become non-painful and will attempt to reduce the dislocated disc/s in your jaw joint/s, if physically and anatomically possible.

The purpose of this appliance is to reposition the various components of the chewing apparatus into a harmonious, smoothly functioning system. When malocclusion of the teeth exist, as in your case, the teeth are in control of the jaw, and twist the muscles of the jaw, causing muscle spasm and pain, and forcing the lower jaw bone out of position. The continued use of this appliance allows the jaw to find its proper position by removing the teeth as the dominant and controlling factors and letting the jaw function correctly. In order to break up the old harmful habits of jaw malposition, the appliance MUST BE WORN 24 HOURS PER DAY. You must learn to eat with it, laugh with it, and speak with it. Wear it full time, at work, at home, while socializing, sleeping, etc. THIS IS CRITICAL. If you wear it less than 24 hours per day, you are sabotaging your own treatment and wasting your money; stop treatment and save your money .

USAGE: 

You will readily become used to the appliance if you follow these simple suggestions. After two days your should have no difficulty in speaking. To speed up the process of getting accustomed to the appliance, practice reading out loud for fifteen minutes at a time, three times a day, for the first two days.

You can only learn to eat with the appliance by wearing it at all times. It will seem strange for the first three days, but if you persist, and follow your diet carefully, you should have no difficulty. After six to nine meals, you should have absolutely no trouble eating with the appliance. You will notice an excessive flow of saliva for the first two days because the salivary glands will be fooled by the presence of the appliance and will react as if it were food. Do not be concerned about this, it will disappear in a few days.

I believe you should initially restrict yourself to a soft diet, i.e., eggs, hamburger, chicken, fish, soft cheeses, yogurt, soups, various breakfast cereals, pasta, cannelloni, lasagna, salads, soufflés and desserts. Avoid steak, raw vegetables, hard crusted bread, apples, and other foods difficult to chew because the excessive function these foods cause results in retarded healing of the joint and its tissues.

When the appliance is removed for cleaning, you may notice that none of your back teeth meet one another. This is to be expected and desirable. You are making progress if this happens. Actually, what has occurred is that the appliance is allowing the jaw to find its proper position. The muscles that suspend the jaw are going out of spasm and regaining their proper length. They are relaxing and lengthening and suspending your jaw at a lower level which is more normal and less painful. The jaw joint is becoming decompressed.

While you are under treatment, do not move your jaw side to side to see if it clicks or grates or hurts. Do not chew gum, do not grit or clench your teeth. Repeat to yourself over and over again during the day, "lips together - teeth apart."

TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT/MUSCLE DYSFUNCTION PATIENTS

We have begun to treat your temporomandibular joint/muscle dysfunction. Our success will depend largely upon the way you treat these injured areas. The following instructions will greatly enhance the correction and healing response of the tissues of these Joints and face muscles.

• For the next few months eat a soft diet and be sure to cut all foods into small, bite-sized pieces.
  
• Do not eat hard crusts of bread, tough meat, raw vegetables, or any other food that will require prolonged chewing.
  
• Do not chew peanuts, ice cubes or any other substance that is repeatedly milled between your back teeth with a side-to-side motion. This is how cows chew. I want you to chew up and down in a vertical motion.
  
• Do not chew gum, bite your lips, clench your teeth or habitually chew the insides of your cheeks.
  
• Do not thrust your lower jaw forward, as when biting off a piece of thread, applying lipstick, smoking, or through force of habit.
  
• Do not bite any food with your front teeth. Bite on back teeth only.
  
• Make every effort not to strain your Jaw Joints unnecessarily by such activities talking excessively, deliberately popping your Jaw joint as one would pop the knuckles of his hand, leaning on the palm of your hand while reading or watching TV, etc.
  
• Avoid talking on the phone with the same ear every time. Alternate sides. Hold the phone with your hand, not your shoulder.
  
• During all times of occupational, marital or academic stress, and also while waiting to fall asleep at night, say to yourself, "1ips together - teeth apart", over and over again.
  
• Try not to do strenuous physical work that requires you to lift items weighing "more than 10 pounds above your waist because when your jaw muscles and jaw joints are out of balance, your entire body is out of balance and your neck and shoulder pains will probably increase due to this imbalance.
  
• Avoid activities that require raising one or both arms over your head (i.e., washing or painting ceilings, reaching for overhead items, sleeping with hands over head, etc.).
  
• A low fat diet should be maintained due to the fact that fats produce acids and are hard to digest. Therefore, milk, cream and eggs should be avoided because of their high fat content. IT IS IMPORTANT TO STAY ON A HIGH PROTEIN DIET.
  
• Foods are more nutritious if prepared by broiling. boiling. baking or pressure cooking. Try to avoid fried foods due to their high fat content.

These few simple rules can easily allow you to avoid such Jaw movements that might re-injure your joints, muscles or ligaments.

For more information go to to our Contact Information Page  or reach us by e-mail: griffiths@tmjarizona.com