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Occlusal Splints for Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders, Bruxism or Clenching

1. PURPOSE: The purpose of this therapy is to influence your lower jaw to function freely and without pain. Many situations cause the malfunction of your lower jaw. Examples are: accidents, surgery, developmental defects, peculiar oral habits, many fillings placed over numerous years, naturally occurring malocclusion (poor bite), orthodontics, psychologic stress, clenching or bruxism of teeth, and other conditions.
2. RATIONALE: You have received a plastic bite splint (occlusal splint). This type of device has been used for many years to keep the teeth from contacting and to allow the lower jaw to return to a comfortable hinge position without interference and guidance from the teeth.
3. WEARING SPLINT:
   • Temporomandibular Disorders: If your condition is a temporomandibular disorder, you should wear the splint at all times unless directed otherwise. This includes during eating. If you remove the splint to eat, your treatment will not be as effective. Many fillings placed in your mouth over the years or other conditions have caused your teeth to meet in a position your jaws cannot tolerate. The splint eliminates tooth to tooth contact. Your symptoms will gradually disappear while wearing the splint, and your natural teeth, bridges and/or I will adjust fillings to the new bite (occlusal equilibration). After equilibration, you will wear the splint only at night. After a period of time you will not wear the splint at all. Th described treatment usually requires from a few weeks to several months.
   • Bruxism & Clenching: If your condition is bruxism or clenching you would wear your splint only at night when you cannot control your jaw movements. During the daytime make sure the splint is placed in water to avoid warping.
4. CLEANING SPLINT AND TEETH: Food will accumulate around and under the splint. At least one time each day brush and floss your teeth very thoroughly. Brush and rinse the inside and outside of the splint, and return it to your mouth. Dental decay can be stimulated if you are not careful about cleanliness of your mouth and splint. Fluoride containing rinses or gels are useful when placed in your splint once per day if you have a high dental decay rate.
5. WHEN SPLINT IS OUT OF MOUTH: If the splint is out of your mouth for any reason, your teeth may not meet in harmony. This is to be expected because of muscle relaxation while wearing the splint. Occlusal equilibration will eliminate this improper meeting of the teeth (malocclusion). If the splint is out of your mouth, place it in a container of water to prevent it from warping. You may desire to soak it occasionally in one of the commercially available denture cleansers or to place a few drops of Clorox in water solution for a soak.