TMJ Stands for Temporomandibular Joint - it is Where the Lower jaw (mandible) joins the temporal bone of the skull. Each time you chew , you move the TMJ , but you also move it every time you swallow (every 60 seconds or so) AND every time you talk It is Therefore , one of the most frequently used joints of the body.
If the TMJ isn’t working properly it’s going to affect every aspect of your day to day Life by causing pain and discomfort.
Most symptoms,however are Located away from the TMJ itself. This section is based on my experiences for the past 25 years of dealing with maladies associated with both bruxism and TMJ therapy using a special device.
If there is something you find confusing about this section please email me and let me know how I may further clarify my writings. The only two terms I will use to describe this device are "splint" and "nightguard". Nightguards - worn only at night and is primarily a way to decrease muscular activity and continuous wearing of the teeth. It is not a "cure" for bruxism - it is ONLY a band-aid, people do clench during the day and slightly grind. But none-the-less, a nightguard can make a difference for a lot of people.
Splints - worn full time - that is 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. Once every few weeks the splint is checked and adjusted to follow the jaw joint "settling" into its proper physiological position. The person wearing a full-time splint is most often doing so to treat a TMJ dysfunction problem that nighttime wear alone can not take of. The end of therapy occurs when the patient achieves a jaw joint position that is stable and pain-free.