Sometimes you DO have to wear them all the time. It depends on the splint, the treatment and the doctor.
My daughter wore a splint 24/7 for about 18 months. The only time it came out of her mouth was when she brushed her teeth or she was in the orthodontist's chair getting an adjustment.
She had a little problem talking and eating for a day or so, but she adapted and so will you.
what kind of splint are you getting? my first was just made by a molding process, that was 3 years back. that one I just wore at night. The one that works best for me is a neuromuscular one, that I can wear all the time. Its a little cumbersome to talk and eat with, but you get used to it and it releives the pressure from the joints. Im not so good at wearing mine 24-7, I did for the first 9 months, then just got tired of it, so I now wear only a few hours a day and at night. if it moves your jaw really forward, the first night you wear it it will hurt (at least mine did) I couldnt sleep at all and had to take it out. I got some sleeping pills to help for the first few nights till my jaw moved somewhat.
Ok, but I need to know if My jaw would be better for splintsor braces? I don'yt know if braces would do naything, but because my jaw gets completely dislocated when I open it. can youbeleive it? It has been dislocating like this sence i was a child, ( it was fun to creep my friends out HA HA) so do you think bbraces would help me at all???I would rather hasve them insteadof a splint
Last edited by Administrator; 01-27-2006 at 11:06 PM.
Reason: Don't post your age!
In Sept. it will be one year for me wearing my splint. Actually, my dentist had to make me a second one b/c the first wasn't doing what it should. So that put me a little behind. Like some of you, I had to wear mine all of the time for about 3 months; now I definitely wear it while I sleep and if I'm around the house, I'll wear it. It was very hard to talk in at first, but you get used to it. Originally, to start the therapy I was on a no chew diet for 2 weeks, then gradually moving up to soft foods. And heat. 3x a day. It's been a long struggle, but I do feel I'm coming along, but it is a very slow process and requires a ton of patience!!
