Can a Night Guard Make TMJ Worse?

Most people with a sore jaw get told to try a night guard. For most of them it helps. But every so often someone tells us their jaw felt worse after they started wearing one.

 

It does happen, and there is usually a clear reason for it.

 

Yes, it can happen

 

A night guard is meant to take the load off your teeth and let your jaw muscles rest. When the guard does not fit well, it can do the opposite. Your jaw shifts around all night, looking for a steady place to settle, and the muscles end up working harder than before.

 

So the guard itself is rarely the problem. The fit usually is.

 

Signs your guard is making things worse

 

• Your jaw is more sore in the morning than it was before the guard.
• Your bite feels off for an hour or more after you take it out.
• You wake up and the guard is on the pillow.
• You catch yourself chewing on it.
• New pain in front of your ear, or a click you did not have before.

 

A little stiffness in the first week or two is common while you get used to it. Pain that grows after that is not.

 

Why a soft drugstore guard can backfire

 

Soft, squishy guards feel nice in the store. In the mouth, many people chew on them without knowing it. That chewing is the same muscle work you were trying to stop.

 

Boil and bite guards also rarely fit evenly. If the guard is thicker in one spot, your teeth meet it unevenly all night, and the joint takes the strain.

 

What a good guard looks like

 

A guard that helps the jaw is made from a scan or impression of your own teeth. It is firm and smooth on the biting side. It is also even, so your top and bottom teeth touch it at the same time on both sides.

 

That last part is the big one. An even bite lets the muscles switch off. At the fitting we have you bite and slide on the guard, then we adjust any high spots before you take it home.

 

Our lab is in the same building as our office. A guard is made a few steps from the chair it is fitted in, and small changes can usually be done while you wait.

 

When a guard is not the whole answer

 

For some people, jaw pain is not mostly about grinding. Stress, posture, an old injury or the way the joint itself moves can all play a part. A guard can help here too, but it works best alongside other steps.

 

• Gentle jaw stretches your dentist shows you.
• Warmth on sore muscles before bed.
• A break from gum and chewy food.
• Resting your teeth slightly apart during the day, lips together.

 

If your jaw locks, or the pain gets worse week by week, do not push through it with a guard that hurts. Stop wearing it and get the joint checked.

 

Already have a guard that bothers you?

 

Bring it in. Often the fix is small, like smoothing one spot or swapping a soft guard for a firm one.

 

You can read about the guards we make on our mouth guards in London, Ontario page, or call 519-472-4460. We are on Aldersbrook Road and open until 7pm on Monday and Tuesday.