Do you feel discomfort while speaking or chewing? Are you facing frequent jaw spasms and pain that have messed up your daily activities? Is opening or closing your mouth becoming a challenge? It can be a case of the temporomandibular joint or TMJ non-alignment, known as the TMJ disorder. The temporomandibular joint is the linking mechanism between your jaw and your skull. Oftentimes, individuals may experience jaw pain and headaches due to the stress in the jaw muscles and nerves, impacting their lifestyle. If you are someone experiencing similar painful episodes, there is absolutely nothing to worry about, as TMJ pain or disorders are treatable with the use of Occlusal Splints, which help to alleviate the TMD pain.
What are Occlusal Splints?
Occlusal Splints are custom-made dental appliances that work wonders in providing relief for your jaw discomfort. These are removable tools that are crafted based on individual needs that fit comfortably over your upper or lower teeth. They are effective in curing muscle stress, relieving jaw pain, and protecting your teeth from grinding and clenching effects. Moreover, they assist in stable bite and chew functions. Occlusal Splints for TMJ can greatly improve your quality of life with the right guidance and treatment plan by a skilled and qualified orthodontist.
Types of Occlusal Splints for TMJ
Let’s look at the different types of splints for TMJ, based on usage and treatment:
Soft Splints
These are the most common and regular splints, often recommended by a regular dentist to be used as a nightguard. These are comfortable and convenient to wear, as they are made from flexible materials. It should be noted that Soft Splints don’t actually treat the TMD but provide relief temporarily, as they help to assuage clenching or grinding complications.
Rigid Splints
As the name suggests, rigid splints are sturdier than soft splints, as they are made from hard acrylic material. They are more stable and provide a steady platform for the teeth to bite on. These are often recommended by orthodontists for patients who have been experiencing severe TMJ disorders or with serious teeth-grinding problems.
Partial Coverage Splints
Partial coverage splits, also called anterior deprogrammers, cover only the front teeth, so that the back teeth do not touch the front ones. This creates an unstable bite while reducing the muscle activity in the jaw. For this reason, while it may provide temporary relief, it leads to neck pain in the long run.
Stabilization Splint
Stabilization splint, or permissive TMJ occlusal splints, provide support and stability to the jaw joint. They temporarily fix the bite problem and also help the jaw to find the correct position in the short term. However, they are not effective for proper bite alignment in the long term. Hence, orthodontists recommend stabilization splints for the temporary management of TMJ disorders.
Repositioning Splint
Alternatively known as orthotic or non-permissive splints, they guide the jaw into a fixed position. Armed with inclined surfaces and ramps, which are customized to fit your jaw, repositioning splints effectively cure misalignments or malocclusions in the bite. Their main purpose is to reposition the jaw joint and cure TMJ disorder.
Sleep Appliance
Also known as bruxism splints, these are used as nightguards to address bruxism (clenching/grinding of teeth at nighttime). Their limited objective is to protect the teeth from wear and tear due to bruxing activity. Since they do not stop the activity, a sleep appliance is given that keeps the airway open by keeping the lower jaw and the tongue forward.
How Do Occlusal Splints Work?
Occlusal splints work in multiple ways for the treatment of TMJ disorders. Some of the different ways how they ease pain in the jaw area are:
Stabilize the Bite
A primary function of occlusal splints is to develop a steady, balanced bite. Splints ease out the unbalanced jaw pressure, thereby enforcing a balanced distribution of the pressure while biting and chewing food. They do this by maintaining the upper and lower teeth alignment.
Reduce Muscle Tension
TMJ disorders disturb normal jaw muscle function, resulting in stress during grinding or chewing. This further puts strain on the jaw muscles, which leads to pain. TMJ occlusal splints significantly reduce this strain by acting as a credible support between your upper and lower teeth. They let your jaw muscles relax properly and ease the soreness and stiffness of the muscles.
Protect Teeth and Restoration
Occlusal splints are also beneficial in case of any dental restoration, like crowns or fillings. They provide teeth protection by decreasing wear and tear, further improving the longevity of teeth.
Improved Jaw Function
A TMJ occlusal splint effectively guides the jaw back into alignment, leading to smooth and comfortable jaw movement. This facilitates speaking, chewing, and opening of the mouth widely without pain, stress, or discomfort.
What is the difference between an Occlusal Splint for TMJ and a Night Guard
Let us now understand the differences between the Occlusal Splint for TMJ and the Night Guard. TMJ splints are personalized tools crafted to cure your bite problems. They cover your upper and lower teeth. These tools limit jaw movement and promote balanced jaw alignment. They support and stabilize your joint, which helps your jaw muscles relax and decrease strain and pain. TMJ splints decrease jaw joint pressure and are mainly used to relieve you from TMJ discomfort and pain.
On the other hand, night guards are tools that protect your teeth from bruxism. Nightguards are similar to splints in the sense that nightguards are customized to your teeth impressions, but are much simpler. Night guards do not restrict movement in your jaw area, but act as a barrier between your upper and lower teeth and safeguard the structure of your teeth.
Before and After Effects of Occlusal Splints for TMJ
Before using occlusal splints for TMJ, patients often experience discomfort and pain, which can substantially wreak havoc in their daily lives and overall oral health. Below are some of the noticeable differences of before and after using splints:
Before Using Occlusal Splints
- Constant pain and discomfort in the jaw area
- Persistent headaches and earaches
- Problems in chewing and speaking
- Strain, soreness, and tension in jaw muscles
- Wear and tear on the teeth because of grinding
After Using Occlusal Splints
- Decreased pain and discomfort in the jaw area
- Reduction in headaches and earaches
- Improvement in chewing and speaking comfortably
- Relaxed muscles in the jaw area
- Teeth restoration
Conclusion
Occlusal splints for TMJ are highly efficient tools for the treatment and cure of TMJ disorders. They assist in a balanced bite, lighten muscle strain, and act as teeth protectors and restorers. These custom-made oral appliances are created to address individual needs. Occlusal splints are multi-functional as they extend stability to the joint in the jaw area, encourage balanced alignment, and limit muscle pain and pressure. With expert care and guidance from our dedicated team from Ur’s Toothfully Full Mouth Rehabilitation and Implant Centre, specially crafted occlusal splints for TMJ can remarkably improve your oral health, well-being, and quality of life. Contact our TMJ specialist in Kolkata today and take the first step forward!