Soupdejour
11-09-2005, 03:40 PM
Apologize for being a newbie here, but is there a difference between splints and nightguards?
Don't think I grind my teeth (ok am like a grouper fish at night lol, mouth breather), but people have recommended nightguards (one dentist said to get the kind at sporting good stores (?) to prevent bruxism will help TMD -
but then do they help if you don't grind your teeth, is that what splints are for, do they act to realign the bite?
sorry for the dummy questions today, thanks for your help-
Don't think I grind my teeth (ok am like a grouper fish at night lol, mouth breather), but people have recommended nightguards (one dentist said to get the kind at sporting good stores (?) to prevent bruxism will help TMD -
but then do they help if you don't grind your teeth, is that what splints are for, do they act to realign the bite?
sorry for the dummy questions today, thanks for your help-
Sponsor
rubato
11-09-2005, 05:50 PM
Hey, don't worry. We were all newbies at one point. I wouldn't buy anything from a sporting goods store. Those are designed for sports, not your tmj. If you aren't grinding, you could still need a nightguard/splint for proper alignment of the joint. The only way to get this is with one being made for you using impressions of your teeth and your bite. They can be expensive, but you don't want to mess around with this joint. It's not very forgiving. Good luck.
Tandy
Tandy
Iron Jaw
11-10-2005, 04:31 PM
I think it depends on the person and if their insurance will cover the splint or nightguard. My insurance never covered any of mine I had 15 of them after my first tmj surgery.
and my daughter needed one and i had to make payments for her splint to wear at night, then she lost it! 500.00 I was still making payments on it. So I went to Wall-Marts and bought a football guard, the kind you boil in water first then it molds to your bite, My daughter like this one better then the one she lost! Also i had seen in Wall-marts in the toothpaste section of the store a tmj splint for around 20.00 my sister bought that one and it helped her from grinding at night.
It is better then nothing and risk more damage and possibality surgery.
if your insurance covers it go for it. and if you can afford to dish out 500.00 or so for one go for it. But if not, then the sports one are beter then not having anything. I was told 20 some years ago to get a football guard and I thought that was crazy. then I ended up in surgery 3 years later, If I had known now what I know I would have listen to my dr and perhaps avoid 21 surgerys!
Rubato do what you feel is right for you ok but please if your Dr suggestion for you to get one then do it. you will save yourself some heart ach later on down the road,
Splints do not realign the bite but they do help take pressure off your tmj joint at night if you are a grinder.
Is your dentist specialzed in tmj? if not I would find one that does, why did he want you to get one in the first place? are you having any tmj pain? or systems of tmj?
and my daughter needed one and i had to make payments for her splint to wear at night, then she lost it! 500.00 I was still making payments on it. So I went to Wall-Marts and bought a football guard, the kind you boil in water first then it molds to your bite, My daughter like this one better then the one she lost! Also i had seen in Wall-marts in the toothpaste section of the store a tmj splint for around 20.00 my sister bought that one and it helped her from grinding at night.
It is better then nothing and risk more damage and possibality surgery.
if your insurance covers it go for it. and if you can afford to dish out 500.00 or so for one go for it. But if not, then the sports one are beter then not having anything. I was told 20 some years ago to get a football guard and I thought that was crazy. then I ended up in surgery 3 years later, If I had known now what I know I would have listen to my dr and perhaps avoid 21 surgerys!
Rubato do what you feel is right for you ok but please if your Dr suggestion for you to get one then do it. you will save yourself some heart ach later on down the road,
Splints do not realign the bite but they do help take pressure off your tmj joint at night if you are a grinder.
Is your dentist specialzed in tmj? if not I would find one that does, why did he want you to get one in the first place? are you having any tmj pain? or systems of tmj?
CherylLynn24
11-10-2005, 05:05 PM
Quote: "Splints do not realign the bite but they do help take pressure off your tmj joint at night if you are a grinder."
Some splints do indeed realign the bite. My Son is in a repositioning splint right now which has repositioned the jaw, as well as the bite. :)
Some splints do indeed realign the bite. My Son is in a repositioning splint right now which has repositioned the jaw, as well as the bite. :)
Iron Jaw
11-10-2005, 05:12 PM
I am sorry I didn't not know that, all the splints i wore never did that, I was told I need braces to realign my teeth and bite. The splints I wore were to take the pressur off my tmj joints at night becasue I am a grinder.