Can Nightguards Treat TMJ Disorder?

At Sleep & TMJ Therapy we have many new patients tell us they were prescribed a nightguard for their TMJ disorder / TMD. They also report that the nightguard is causing them pain and has made their condition worse. Dr. Brown dives into this topic and explains what nightguards do, his opinion on them and when to utilize nightguards in a patient's treatment plan.

Watch this video if you want to know why night-guards are not a viable treatment option for TMJ Disorder, also known as TMD.

In summary, night-guards are great for protecting the teeth while you sleep if you are unconsciously grinding or clenching your teeth. If wearing a nightguard is not causing you any pain and you just need nighttime protection, go ahead and wear one. However, if you have an underlying TMJ problem, wearing a nightguard will not solve the root of the problem. If you are experiencing symptoms such as a jaw pain, popping and clicking in the jaw joints, ear ringing, neck pain, locked jaw, limited opening of the mouth, snoring and waking up unrefreshed, you likely have a TMJ problem and that needs to be addressed and treated properly. We recommend conservatively treating the TMJ problem with oral appliances (such as a modified lower splint or ALF appliances) so you can fix any disc displacement in the jaw joints, cranial distortions, airway issues, muscle tension, jaw joint inflammation and the many symptoms associated with TMJ / TMD. When the jaw joints are in a stable position, it is then safe to prescribe nightguards. In our experience, most patients do not need to wear nightguards because once TMJ treatment is completed, most of our patients stop clenching and grinding at night.

Dr. Jeffrey L. Brown, DDS, Fellow AACFP
Office Phone Number: 703-821-1103
2841 Hartland Rd. Suite 301 Falls Church, VA 22043

[pusheencat]

yeah, but honestly, how do you find a professional that doesn't just throw a night guard at you? Your kind of work is extremely rare.

[hbinfinity]

This is GREAT content. There's not a lot of good content on nightguards/mouth orthodics.

[ninaj]

It really does help! I have TMJ and my night guard has basically eliminated my issues and pain that I was having before. I have a custom hard plastic night guard on my uppers and it works great.

[kunal]

Thank you doctor for sharing all this info. You have saved so many people from their suffering. I hope you have a very peaceful and happy life.

[PullsPressesCarries]

Wow I think I’ve finally learned my problem. I think I have sleep apnea, these past few weeks one of my limbs will jerk and I’ll wake up, sometimes feel like my body forgets how to breathe. And that’s what is likely causing my tmj issues, my masseter is tight and painful from what I assume is clenching my jaw. And it’s happening because my body is trying to breathe at night! I’ll lose some weight in bulked up right now never been this high of a body weight hope that solves the issue. You’re the first person to mention this out of all the videos I watched. You know your stuff man salute to you ❤

[kidistadmasu]

Its helpful and great contexts thank you Doctor!!!

[alinicrossing]

Wish I had seen this before getting a night guard. Was just referred to a tmj specialist and told I’d need one to get help since that’d be the first thing they’d ask

[pixiestylz]

I have a gelb splint. The lower one you mentioned I wear it 24/7 only remove to clean. Its absolutely saved my life

[captainmorgan]

Thank you for the video. The best explanation I have heard regarding mouth guard. I spoke with an local TMJ specialist back a few months ago and he stated they could make a mouth guard but did not explain how to deal with the cause. He took CT scan and gave 3 options: 1. Custom mouth guard. 2. Physical therapy. 3. Do nothing.
I ended up by an over the counter guard that kept falling out at night. Stopped using after 1 week. I have been doing jaw exercises (Youtube). Jaw discomfort has been more pronounced since I met with tmj specialist.

Saw my dentist today...she recommends a custom night guard her office can make. I like how your guards do more than just protect the teeth...it helps with the root of the problem. Wife and I have relatives in DC Metro area.
I will contact your office soon to get direction on possible next steps.
Once again...thank you Doctor. Subscribed....

[keertanabiradar]

Thank you soo much doctor for this valuable information 🙏 it helped a lot 😊 God bless you

[zizoubeau]

Great content 👍 Very rarely you hear a doctor/Dentist talk about getting to the root of the problem. They usually just mask the issue

[bonbondesel]

It's extremely rare to see a doctor knowing this subject well.
Most doctors are full of certitude while being ignorant on this issue. The result is that they often worsen the conditions of their patients.

[brent]

yes, it works amazing. I suffer from horrible pain in my left ear with TMJ. As soon as I put my guard on in hours it is totally gone.

[joshuadiazsarimo]

Does wisdom tooth affect the Tmj disorder or clicking jaw it is dangerous when u haven't removed it?? Please answer me!

[ladystrange]

After hearing I had TMD 11 years ago from an ENT & not an ear infection, the progression has me at the point I can't take it anymore. Trigger points appeared in my neck & shoulder 2 years ago & it went downhill quickly from there. 5 medical medical professionals couldn't remove them. Tinnitus is almost constant now in my right ear but the left has begun. They either feel itchy or as if water is trapped inside (are always clear whenever drs examine). Sounds are becoming increasingly painful & I have to wear headphones constantly to drown them out. But that means I hear my blood pressure, equally painful. My jawbone is easily felt in my right ear, especially when opening my mouth & my right jawbone clearly pops out & chin swings left when doing so. It does feel as if my skull bones are smashed up. The excruciating pain on the right side of my face has caused countless sleepless nights & now the left has begun. The pain has branched out to the entire right side of my body. I can't recall the last time I didn't have a headache, the majority migraines. I receive Botox injections for them & my neurologist says each time she has trouble getting the needles in because my muscles are so constricted. I have constant sore throats & feeling that something is stuck in it & stuffy nose. Tests always come back fine. 3 of my teeth have broken, because of clencing I was told. I finally agreed to a bite guard. It is the clear hard material, is lower on the left (even I can tell my right side is lower) but covers only my 4 front teeth. I thought it would have been the entire bottom. I wanted to live to be a very old woman, but if I have to do it like this, I can't imagine.

[LifeWithBunny]

I wish I had asked more questions and listened when dentists talked to me about TMJ Syndrome and my chronic clenching two decades ago. I have Ehlers Danlos and needed this jaw support. I developed disabling dystonia.

[deidra]

Hello! I found this video very helpful. I’m only 24, and have had tmj symptoms really bad the last few years. I believe my jaw is severely out of place because it pops out and almost makes a zig zag pattern when I open it wide. Because of this I went to the “best” specialist in Columbus, and they gave me the hard over night sleep guard you mentioned. I wore the mouth piece religiously for the first couple months and realized it was actually getting worse. My neck now hurts and my jaw barely opens, i feel so discouraged and scared because I want to fix it but am afraid to get constructive jaw surgery or find someone that really knows their stuff. Where are you located at?

[dentalbizcoach]

Many people are asking if night guards help TMJ disorder. In most cases these devices, although well meant, can make things worse depending on the situation. If the articular discs in the jaw joints are displaced, then wearing a nightguard might allow the discs to try to go back into the socket. If that happens, then the next morning you take out the nightguard, you would bite into the discs that tried to 'recapture' proper position while the nightguard was in place. This would mean that you would now bite down on the already displaced disc. This makes things worse in so many ways. My advice is to analyze the bigger issues first before contemplating a nightguard.

[therandiked]

I started to grind my teeth since I got my wisdom tooth. Lower both of them were impacted. Right one was then removed. Since then my grinding and clenching got really bad. Teeth became sensitive. So I got a mouth guard made for lower teeth. This worked well getting rid of pain from teeth and sensitive improved. But my jaw line hurts so bad. TMJ join does not make any pops nor I have pain in the joint. But I have really bad facial/jaw bone pains. What should I do ? Please help

[sabrinapersaud]

Omg I kn something ws wrong I keep saying the guard I'm wearing. it's not higher on my lef side I have to take to my dr again thanks very much I keep saying so all weekend