This article aims to discuss a commonly used therapy for TMJ, known as a mouth guard to examine its benefits, effects, disadvantages for various types of TMJ patients. A mouth guard may initially sound like a good idea. That's for a good reason, as it does actually work to some extent. It however, represents a sort of temporary solution rather than a permanent ones. This is because in TMJ, patients usually have an underlying problem in their joints such as weakness or damage and a mouth guard can't fix that. It can simply alleviate pain and make the patient feel better for some time.

Some patients of TMJ have what is considered as a stress associated form. This might as well be called a faux type of TMJ since there is no underlying condition in the joints themselves. Simply put, when a person is stressed, one of the commonest and almost subconscious actions would be to clench their jaws. A stressful lifestyle will then eventually result in sore muscles around the jaw and a certain amount of pain, which the mouth guard in addition to stress relief techniques, could cure. However, a mouth guard has its disadvantages. It acts by keeping the mouth open all through the night which may lead to an increase in bacterial infection and condition such as gum disease or gingivitis in the long run.

A great many of TMJ patients have conditions causing weakness of the joints themselves, as mentioned before. This weakness may result due to a familial factor or due to a previous history of trauma. A mouth guard wouldn't be of much benefit in such causes, but it may in fact worsen these conditions by further weakening the joints by the nature of its action. It may cause a transient improvement of symptoms but as time goes by, the pain is likely to recur and be even worse than before. For these types of patients, TMJ specific exercises are the best choice, as they do not only relieve symptoms but they strengthen the joints and therefore attack the root of the problem leading to a permanent cure.