Night Guards (TMJ Splints)

Have you ever awakened in the morning with a headache or neck ache?

Have you found that your chewing muscles are sore or tender during the day or at night?

Do you find that you have a limitation of mouth opening?
 
If your answer is yes to any of these questions, you may be experiencing a temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ Dysfunction).  The TMJ, located just in front of the ear, is the joint where the upper and lower jaws articulate.  If a person's occlusion (bite) is not stable, he or she may start a bruxing (grinding) habit during sleep causing muscle spasms and pain.  A hard acrylic night guard/TMJ splint may help alleviate these symptoms.  The patient wears this splint at night or during times of stress.