Home Care Instructions

TMJ Treatment – What to Do at Home

How to care for your splint at home

To Remove

Using your fingertips, pull up or down on the back outside edges of the splint, just under the plastic layer.

To Replace

Place the splint over your teeth in the correct alignment and push it into place with your thumbs or forefingers.

To Clean

Remove the splint when brushing your teeth and brush it with toothpaste and the brush provided. Always support the splint evenly while brushing. To remove odor and stains, soak the splint in any of the following solutions, and then brush it again with toothpaste.

½ vinegar and ½ cool tap water for 20-30 minutes followed by 2 tablespoons of baking soda in ½ cup tap water for 20-30 minutes.

OR

Cool tap water and a denture cleaning solution such as Polident or Efferdent for 15 minutes.

IMPORTANT

Heat will warp your splint.
  • Never use hot water when cleaning your splint. If the water is too hot for your fingers, it is too hot for your splint.
  • Never leave your splint in a car or next to a heater.
    Your splint will not be damaged by hot food or drinks when you are wearing it.

Special Notes

  1. Unless you are told otherwise, wear your splint 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Only remove it to brush your teeth. It is especially important to wear your splint when you are concentrating on something such as driving, exercising, work, etc., i.e. the times you are most likely to subconsciously grind or clench your teeth.
  2. Try to condition yourself to keep your teeth slightly apart at all times, even when wearing the splint. Your teeth should only touch when you bite down. Keeping your upper and lower teeth separated will help your muscles relax and reduce the stress on the jaw joints.
  3. You may find that you produce more or less saliva while your mouth is getting used to the splint. It should eventually return to normal.
  4. You will likely have sore teeth, a sore tongue, and some muscle pain when you first start wearing your splint because your facial muscles and teeth need to get used to it. After a couple of weeks, any discomfort should resolve.
  5. Your splint will likely affect your speech, and you will need to enunciate your words more precisely. Start practicing as soon as you get your splint. Try reading or singing aloud to help you get more comfortable with it. After a few days, you should become accustomed to speaking with the splint in.
  6. Brush after every meal. Since your teeth and gums are covered by the splint, your mouth’s natural way to clear away food particles will no longer be effective, and you could develop cavities or gum problems if you are not careful. Take the time to brush your splint each time you brush your teeth. Do not use abrasive toothpaste on your splint, and never soak your splint in mouthwash.
  7. Keep your splint away from your pets!!! Dogs, especially, love to chew on anything they can get their mouths on, including your splint.
  8. Be careful not to drop your splint. Although it is made to be durable, it could still break.
  9. Never wrap your splint in a paper napkin or tissue and place it on the table. It is too easy to inadvertently throw it away along with other trash.
  10. Do not put you splint in your pocket because it could easily break when you sit down.
  11. As tempting as it might be, do not flip your splint with your tongue. You could damage it and make it too loose to wear comfortably and effectively.
DO NOT GET ANY DENTAL TREATMENT OUTSIDE OF OUR OFFICE WHILE YOU ARE WEARING YOUR SPLINT, UNLESS DR. RONDEAU OR DR SEP APPROVE IT FIRST.

If you have any questions while you are adjusting to your splint, feel free to call us. We want this to be as pleasant an experience for you as possible.