Most TMJ patients are concerned about the headaches from the muscle pain and spasm associated with TMJ problems. Dr. Padolsky has provided hundreds of patients with TMJ mouth guard therapy and it works. It is a dental appliance constructed to relax jaw muscles. It also protects the teeth and decreases the destructive effect of tooth grinding. The 0.150 inch soft plastic material on the lower teeth works best. It provides an even thickness of soft plastic and adapts excellently the patient's lower teeth on the dental model. It is important to construct the appliance properly. If it is not constructed tightly, it can be easily removed and thrown across the room while sleeping. The soft material is thermoplastic, meaning that it gets soft when heated and hardens as it cools. The material shrinks tightly and gives an excellent fit if the material is allowed to cool at room temperature on the model for several hours,.

          The TMJ mouth guard must be worn correctly. If you only wear a cast at night for a broken leg, the break won't heal. It pulls the jaw joints down and forward away from the ears. Most TMJ patients want to position their jaws forward and the soft appliance does this without asking the muscles to do so. If you only wear it at night, it won't work. The jaw joints are part of a human body and it doesn't make sense to think that the soft mouth guard is the only thing needed to stop tooth grinding or cure a TMJ problem. We place all TMJ patients on a six week TMJ program designed by Dr. Mark A. Padolsky.

          When not being worn, a TMJ mouth guard should always be placed in a retainer box or house pets can chew it up because it smells like food. Athletic guards like the ones you can get at Sports Authority do not work well because they are too thick, unevenly constructed, attach to both jaws and have lots of sharp edges. However, we recommend them for emergency patients when they can not get into the office or are out of town.

          If you are considering getting a TMJ mouth guard and would like to consult with Dr. Padolsky, please make your appointment by calling 404-874-7428.