Dealing with the discomfort of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, often linked to sleep apnea, jaw clenching, and teeth grinding, is a daily struggle. These conditions can significantly affect your quality of life, causing jaw pain, headaches, and disrupted sleep.
However, relief is within reach, and it starts with starting to mewing for TMJ and finding the right mouth guard. This article will help you find the best mouth guard for TMJ disorders caused by pain relief and treatment.
I will guide you through the types of mouth guards available and provide insights into which dental guard is the best based on my experience and extensive research. Get ready to regain comfort and take a step closer to a pain-free life with the best mouth guard for TMJ pain relief.
What is a TMJ?
A TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, connects your jaw to your skull. TMJ disorders can occur due to various factors, including bruxism (teeth grinding), clenching, stress, jaw joint trauma, arthritis, and structural issues. These conditions can contribute to the development of TMJ disorders, leading to acute jaw pain, weak jaw muscles, headaches, and difficulty chewing.
Treatment options range from lifestyle changes, such as practicing mewing and physical therapy, to medications and surgery. However, for many, starting with mouth guards is advisable. These custom-fitted devices provide relief by preventing clenching and grinding, allowing the lower jaw to rest and heal naturally.
Signs & Symptoms Of TMJ Disorders
Identifying the presence of TMJ disorders is the essential first step on the road to relief. While mild symptoms may not raise immediate concern, understanding when to seek help is crucial. These are the most common symptoms of TMJ disorders:
- Jaw Pain: Persistent aching in the jaw joint.
- Headaches: Frequent tension headaches or migraines.
- Difficulty Chewing: Pain or discomfort while eating.
- Lockjaw: Inability to fully open or close the mouth.
- Clicking or Popping: Audible sounds when moving the jaw
For those experiencing pronounced jaw pain, headaches, or difficulty chewing, consulting a healthcare professional is paramount. In severe cases, TMJ disorders can even lead to lockjaw and persistent discomfort.
However, many individuals with milder symptoms can explore a cost-effective and safer option – mouth guards. However, you should consider whether you experience acute or chronic pain.
Acute pain is sharp and abrupt, often stemming from a specific injury but diminishing as the body heals. Conversely, chronic pain persists long-term, enduring beyond the anticipated healing period, and is often tied to ongoing medical conditions.
If you have strong acute pain, you should go to a healthcare professional right away. If you are experiencing low chronic pain for a longer time, it is worth trying mouth guards and consulting with your doctor.
Buyer’s Guide on How to Choose the Best Mouth Guard For TMJ
Mouth guards play a pivotal role in alleviating TMJ symptoms by preventing teeth clenching and grinding, reducing jaw strain. Selecting the right one is crucial for effective treatment, but it isn’t that difficult as there are only three main things to look for when choosing.
Types
Over-the-counter mouth guards are shipped to a customer or can be purchased at a dental lab. They are further categorized by being custom and non-custom fit.
Custom mouthguard usually involves making teeth impressions at home and then mailing them to the manufacturer. Non-custom products don’t require any impressions and are quite cheap but rarely fit well in your mouth.
Boil-and-Bite: These mouth guards become soft when boiled and then can adapt to your teeth. They offer a middle ground between custom and non-custom night guards, as you don’t need to ship them, but they still adapt to your teeth structure.
Professional Dentist Grade Night Guards: Designed and fitted by dental professionals, these guards offer the most customization and comfort. They are similar to splints in their manufacturing process and in price, which is very high.
Materials
Choosing a mouth guard made from durable, safe materials is crucial. Common durable materials include medical-grade silicone and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). Other guards might include different materials and be safe too, but it’s important to look that it would be BPA (Bisphenol-A) free as studies have shown it is harmful to humans.
Price
While every dental guard is custom-made and effective, they have the worst price-to-value ratio, with costs significantly higher than other types. Comparable relief to your TMJ disorder can be found with well-fitted over-the-counter options, like custom-fit or boil-and-bite mouth guards. I recommend trying these types of mouth guards before rushing in to spend hundreds for a dental guard for TMJ pain relief.
Benefits of Using Mouth Guard for TMJ
All types of mouth guards work by preventing teeth grinding and protecting jaw joints, but their benefits for treating any TMJ disorder aren’t immediately apparent and take some time to show. So, how long does it take for a mouth guard to work for TMJ?
In my experience, it took approximately 2-4 weeks to notice improvements after consistent use of a new night guard.
Joint Stabilization
Most products stabilize the jaw joint by providing a cushioning barrier between the upper and lower teeth. This cushioning reduces excessive pressure on the joint during nighttime clenching and grinding, promoting healing and comfort. Over time, it helps the jaw muscles regain strength, and the jaw joints return to natural alignment.
Muscle Relaxation
Night guards promote muscle relaxation by preventing habitual clenching and teeth grinding during sleep. By preventing these actions, they reduce the tension in facial and jaw muscles, leading to decreased soreness in the morning.
This relaxation contributes to an overall improvement in reducing TMJ pain and TMJ disc disorders, enhancing the quality of sleep and daily life. After some use, my custom night guard for TMJ alleviated the jaw-popping sounds I used to have each morning.
Prevention of Teeth Grinding
Even an over-the-counter night guard can act as a protective barrier, absorbing the force the jaw produces when teeth grinding. By preventing direct tooth-to-tooth contact, they safeguard teeth from damage, such as enamel erosion and fractures.
This proactive approach of a TMJ mouth guard not only preserves upper or lower teeth health but also helps alleviate TMJ symptoms, as grinding often exacerbates jaw and facial pain, sometimes even headaches.
TOP 8 Mouth Guards For TMJ
#1 Remi Mouth Guards
Remi Mouthguards provides custom guards with an included impression kit for mailing back. The company behind the Remi mouth guard also provides a subscription service. It’s a unique way to ensure a steady supply of replacement.
Positive Insights About The Product
Remi Mouthguard impresses with its affordability, effective TMJ pain relief, and expedited USA-based shipping service. These attributes set it apart from competitors, offering users a cost-effective solution with quick access to much-needed relief.
Negative Insights About The Product
Remi Mouthguards offer a subscription option, a thoughtful feature. However, I personally haven’t found it useful, as I don’t frequently replace mouth guards. Nonetheless, their commitment to customization, effective TMJ pain relief, and speedy USA-based shipping.
#2 Pro Teeth Guard
Pro Teeth Guard offers a compelling solution for TMJ pain relief through a range of mouth guards varying in thickness. While requiring lower and upper jaw impressions. The availability of thickness options adds to its appeal as a specialized option. As I point out in my Pro teeth guard overview, it is best for those with heavy jaw clenching and experiencing TMJ pain because of it.
Positive Insights About The Product
Pro Teeth Guard highlights the attention to detail when treating TMJ pain. The well-constructed impression kit, accompanied by clear instructions, simplifies the process significantly, while swift shipping makes everything a timely and efficient matter. The high-quality materials make it the best TMJ mouth guard for many cases.
Negative Insights About The Product
While some users have reported longer shipping times with Pro Teeth Guard, I think this is a minor drawback. The wait is justified by the benefits of receiving one of the best night guards money can buy.
#3 Brux Night Guard
The Brux Night Guard distinguishes itself from others through a meticulously crafted boil-and-bite design. If this Night guard does not fit well or does not work for TMJ pain relief, you can re-mold it again until it fits your upper and lower jaw. This innovative approach means that a single night guard can effectively protect both your upper and lower teeth.
The Burx guard for TMJ pain relief is the best choice overall as it is effective against teeth grinding and muscle pain, convenient (you don’t need to send it), and affordable.
Positive Insights About The Product
I found the Brux Night Guard to be the best TMH mouth guard because of three reasons. Firstly, you can skip the hassle of sending impressions to the manufacturer, which saves time. Secondly, its straightforward boil-and-bite technique ensures a great fit with ease.
Negative Insights About The Product
Some users on Amazon have reported a drawback of the Brux Night Guard, mentioning that it might fall off during first-time use as it doesn’t cover back teeth. However, I was able to make it reduce my jaw joint pain after a few re-molding attempts.
#4 Chomper Labs Night Guard
Chomp Labs offers a Night Guard for TMJ pain relief that closely resembles a professional guard made at a dentist’s office. It effectively prevents even light teeth grinding, which is one of the most common causes of TMJ pain causes. Most Chomper Labs mouth guard reviews recommend it as the best custom mouth guard if you do not mind sending the impressions to the manufacturer.
Positive Insights About The Product
Chomper Labs Night Guard includes a “Perfect Fit Promise,” ensuring adjustments until it fits perfectly. Although it’s a hard night guard, you still might grind through it. If you do so in six months, the 100-day “Grind-Free” warranty will apply. I see no reason not to try this custom guard.
Negative Insights About The Product
The Chomper Labs Night Guard, while offering top-notch customization, does come with a notable drawback — it’s comparatively expensive. Especially when compared to more affordable options like the Brux Night Guard. However, if you prioritize a custom guard for TMJ pain relief, the investment may well be worth it for you.
#5 Sentinel Mouthguards
Sentinel Mouthguards are customized guards TMJ pain releif, so you need to mail the impressions to the manufacturer first. They stand out from other guards by their perfect-fit technology which I found to be extremelly fast in making impressions. It’s also worth noting that there is also a Sentinel mouth guard that is one of the best in the category of sports mouth guards.
Positive Insights About The Product
Sentinel Mouthguards stands out with superior, BPA, latex, and silicone-free materials. Their Tru-Fit impression kit simplifies the process to just three minutes. In addition, their customer support team stands out as one of the best.
Negative Insights About The Product
Sentinel Mouthguards do come with a higher price tag compared to Brux, and their range of options is somewhat limited compared to Pro Teeth Guard. However, their focus on superior materials and a streamlined impression process justifies the cost.
#6 Teeth Night Guard
Teeth Night Guard stands out as the most budget-friendly option for finding a custom mouthguard, without compromising much on material quality. Their commitment to affordability, combined with durable materials, makes them a cost-effective choice for those seeking custom night guards.
Positive Insights About The Product
Teeth Night Guard impresses with some of the market’s most competitive prices, offering a selection of seven different options for varied needs. It’s the largest selection on the market. Additionally, their commitment to using BPA and latex-free materials ensures a safe and reliable choice.
Negative Insights About The Product
While Teeth Night Guard offers budget-friendly choices, I’ve noticed varying quality among their models. The affordability is appealing, but the inconsistency in dental guard quality is a drawback. It’s essential to carefully research and select the right model before purchasing from Teeth Night Guard.
#7 Cheeky Mouth Guard
Cheeky Mouth Guard is renowned for its affordability, offering some of the most budget-friendly custom mouth guards. Beyond oral protection, they also feature a range of sport guards, teeth whitening kits, and electric toothbrushes. Most Cheeky mouth guard reviews mention that it’s a great one-stop shop.
Positive Insights About The Product
Cheeky Mouth Guard impresses with its fantastic custom mouth guard prices, coupled with extensive customization options. Moreover, the abundance of positive customer reviews attests to their commitment to quality. It’s a noteworthy choice for those seeking affordable and tailored guard for TMJ.
Negative Insights About The Product
While the impression kit from Cheeky Mouth Guard posed some initial challenges, I found that the final mouth guard’s quality remained satisfactory. The minor inconvenience with the kit was balanced by the overall effectiveness and affordability of their custom mouth guards.
#8 Ampower Dental Lab Mouth Guard
Ampower Dental Lab may be last on our list, but it’s certainly worth a mention. Their impressive 12-month guarantee offers peace of mind to users, and their diverse range of mouth guards with varying thickness options caters to different needs, making them a notable choice for those seeking reliable dental protection.
Positive Insights About The Product
Ampower Dental Lab stands out with competitive pricing, a swift impression process, and a generous purchasing policy. Additionally, their 12-month guarantee and 365-day return policy provide users with confidence in their investment.
Negative Insights About The Product
There was a slight delay in receiving Ampower Dental Lab Night Guards when I ordered it. However, this could be because of shipping (extreme weather at that time) rather than the seller’s fault. Still, their communication wasn’t excellent in this matter.
How We Test Mouth Guards?
My quest to find the most effective night guards for TMJ relief started with, well, TMJ pain. We then ordered all the guards we could find (including hard acrylic guards) and tested them before making this list.
Unlike many other reviews you might come across, I have actually put these products to the test and compared the value for money they provide. I didn’t just rely on hearsay or online comments. Firsthand experience is crucial in evaluating the effectiveness of these night guards.
Once we tested these guards, it became clear that their performance varied. I’ve found that the right night guard can significantly alleviate TMJ discomfort. However, not all of them are worth the price, and others can achieve a similar effect for less money. That’s why Brux hybrid night guard is on the top of my list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does a TMJ mouth guard look like?
A: A TMJ mouth guard typically resembles a clear, custom-fit dental appliance, designed to align the jaw and alleviate TMJ symptoms.
Q: How long does it take for a mouth guard to work for TMJ?
A: The effectiveness of a TMJ mouth guard varies, but many users experience relief within a few weeks of consistent use.
Q: Can a mouth guard make TMJ worse?
A: When properly fitted, a mouth guard should not worsen TMJ. It aims to alleviate symptoms by promoting proper jaw alignment and reducing teeth clenching.
