The joint that supports your jaw is called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). When you have problems with this area, it is called a temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Special custom made appliances called splints are used to treat TMD.

A TMD splint is a hard, acrylic oral appliance that is custom made by taking impressions of a patient’s teeth. The acrylic is polished, smoothed, and made comfortable.

TMD is most commonly associated with excessive grinding or clenching. Patients who grind their teeth at night or clench their teeth during the day wear down their teeth and can have joint and muscle pain. The TMJ is very complex, and patients may exhibit additional symptoms ranging from a popping or clicking sound when opening and
closing their mouths to severe muscle pain. Anyone experiencing any of these symptoms should discuss the benefits of a TMD splint with a dentist.

Splint therapy reduces muscle pain by allowing your lower and upper jaw to come together without tooth contact and give additional support to the joint area. The TMD splints also prevent the wear and further destruction of tooth structure caused by the grinding and clenching of teeth.

The splint is usually worn at night or for up to eight-hour periods during the day. Usually, patients will feel some relief of muscle symptoms after a few days of use. Depending on the cause of your TMD, you may make wearing a splint part of your daily routine, just like brushing and flossing.