Monday, July 6, 2020

Doctor’s Night Guard

It all started with a piece of popcorn. As soon as I bit down hard on a kernel, my jaw was never the same. Then came the headaches and clicking until I could hardly open my mouth. Almost forty years ago I had an “experimental” bilateral TMJ surgery. The physical therapy was torture and all the tests leading up to the surgery were worse. Since then I have worn a soft night guard to grind on at night. Back then I had to go to a special dentist who made custom guards. There have been occasional setbacks, swollen joints, and going to the dentist can be tricky as I need frequent rest periods and an experienced hygienist. Luckily for me the surgery worked - for the most part. Over the last couple of days my husband was complaining about teeth/jaw discomfort. The last thing we need now is a trip to the dental office. Nowadays, night guards are store bought and you custom fit it yourself. Since I always keep a spare Doctor’s Night Guard splint on hand, we thought to give it a try. I ordered another one on Amazon for my back up. First, you boil the water, then “fit” the device to your upper teeth. So he tried it last night and thinks it may have done some good. I hope it continues to do the trick. Wearing a splint at night becomes second nature but it does take a while to get used to. I keep my fingers crossed every day in hopes that the surgery holds, and try to stay away from anything that might injure my jaw. I miss popcorn in spite of it. 






















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