Making your own splint? - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

BLACKdragon78 · 06-12-2004, 01:56 PM

Hello all,
Has anyone ever done this? I dont think I am going to make my own splint although at one point I thought about it because splints costs so much money. My friend who works in a hospital told the staff about my condition and they told her that some people do this: Sports stores carry those plastic guards that fit in your mouth. Get one of those and boil it for two hours. It makes them very fexible so you can mold it to your teeth once you do that it forms hard and you've got a splint.

This splint would be strictly for preventing clenching because it is not intended to correct the bite. Just thought I would mention this.

plkelly · 06-12-2004, 03:39 PM

I did this, but only as a test to see if it would help at all before they made my first splint. I don't think it really helps much, but results may be different for everyone. I ate 3 splints before I finally got in the kind I needed and got some relief.
Patsy

TiffanyAnn · 06-12-2004, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLACKdragon78

Hello all,
Has anyone ever done this? I dont think I am going to make my own splint although at one point I thought about it because splints costs so much money. My friend who works in a hospital told the staff about my condition and they told her that some people do this: Sports stores carry those plastic guards that fit in your mouth. Get one of those and boil it for two hours. It makes them very fexible so you can mold it to your teeth once you do that it forms hard and you've got a splint.

This splint would be strictly for preventing clenching because it is not intended to correct the bite. Just thought I would mention this.

These type of splints are really not recomended for people with TMJ. Ill fitting splints can cause TMJ to become worse.
Tiffany

Cymy Sue · 06-13-2004, 04:17 AM

Absolutely, Tiffany. I believe if you read the fine print on those products, most do list, they are not designed for people with TM joint problems and can indeed, make you worse.

Many splints look very simple and it's hard to understand what they can possibly do to help. A splint is only as good as the provider who designs it for your individual condition.
Sadly, many are assembly line splints, same design for everyone.

Mine may be one of the most simple and small that anyone could imagine.
It's design was very complicated due to my post surgical condition and a lot of combined knowlege and preparation was needed beforehand.
It worked and it worked quickly to alleviate TMJ symptoms and the long-term damages from surgeries.

The point is, the design was well thought out, compared to others used to alleviate symptoms of destroyed joints and IT WORKED.
I HAVE A LIFE AGAIN, WITHOUT PAIN, for the first time in over 25 years.

Cymy Sue
Multi-Surgery Survivor & Splint Therapy Success

westin4 · 06-13-2004, 07:58 AM

I totally agree,
I would never mess with an "over the counter splint" I think from all of our past experiences we have shared, splints that are just boil and bite would send someone with definite tmj problems back 100 paces.

I would caution anyone about trying that, don't ever take matters with this condition into your own hands, you could end up with a severe problem caused by an ill-fitting splint.
Karen