Anyone with Bruxism or TMJ??

Do you wear a night guard? Does it help?

Also, did you just get one from CVS or did you have it custom made?

Re: Anyone with Bruxism or TMJ??

i have TMJ.

For years - when i was right out of high school i found out what that clicking and pain was. I had a night guard fitted at a TMJ specialist. I wore it for about 2 years, got a new one and wore that one for about 2 years. My issue was that i grind my teeth at night, which caused the clicking and mis-alignment.

for me now - it's about prevention.

there are pressure point massages you can give yourself on your face that help a LOT. Tons of them are listed on youtube!

also - avoid caffeine. Not sure which color is which here, but let's say white blood cells move through your whole body (including your jaw) - caffeine suffocates those cells and by them not flowing well into your jaw - it hurts and causes the pain to increase.

also - NO GUM...i was always a HUGE fan of gum...but now i chew it once in a blue moon...

Re: Anyone with Bruxism or TMJ??

Custom made nightguard from dentist. Wearing them on and off for 15 years. Helps tremendously.

Re: Anyone with Bruxism or TMJ??

right now i am wearing one from cvs bc my 800 buck one broke!!! from me grinding so hard! gah!! i dont have the cash so got the one for about 50 bucks from cvs...if you do ...get one around that price not the super super cheapo ones.

had bruxism tmj sinc ei was a kid and mannnny broken teeth later i will not sleep without one!

Re: Anyone with Bruxism or TMJ??

i had a custom mouth guard.
i would fall asleep with it but in the middle of the night i would throw it across the room and wake u p and have no idea where it was.
i didnt like it at all

Re: Anyone with Bruxism or TMJ??

I grind my teeth at night. I purchased a custom mouth guard from the dentist years ago and it was expensive. So for the past couple of years I have been buying the $20 one from bed bath and beyond and use a coupon. It took me a while to get used to it. For some reason I like to wear on it my lower teeth and not my upper teeth.

How often do you guys replace your mouth guard?

Re: Anyone with Bruxism or TMJ??

I grind so bad, I get horrible headaches.

I have a custom one from the dentist and ti does help a lot.

Re: Anyone with Bruxism or TMJ??

I do. I did the cvs nightguard and custom made one from dentist. In my sleep I take it out and throw it across the room, so it is useless.

For me, I learned a technique from an ex that was a physical therapist. He taught me how to push on the skin right under my ear, about an inch down right where your upper jaw starts (there is an indent there, it takes a few times to find it, but try looking for it, you will find it after a few attempts). I apply pressure there for about a minute or so, the first press is agony, but then it stops and it relaxes the muscle and i am ok afterwards. Like someone else said...no gum! Or hard candy that you probably end up biting.

My dr also prescribed me a muscle relaxer, but that isn't always ideal, especially when at work. A hot compress always works as well.