Honestly, I had the same reaction when my dentist first recommended a splint—I remember looking at the price and thinking, “Is this thing made of gold or what?” Plus, the idea of sleeping with a chunk of plastic in my mouth every night was not exactly appealing. I was super anxious about whether it would even help, especially since I’d already spent so much on other treatments that didn’t do much.
Here’s what happened for me: the first week or two, I mostly just noticed extra drool and a weird taste in my mouth (and yeah, I felt ridiculous). My jaw still hurt, and I started wondering if I’d wasted my money. But after about three weeks, I realized I wasn’t waking up with that awful, stiff ache anymore. It was gradual—like, one morning it just hit me, “Wait, my jaw doesn’t feel as tight.” It wasn’t a miracle fix, but it definitely helped more than I expected.
I’m still nervous about the long-term, though. My dentist said surgery is a last resort, but I can’t help but worry about it sometimes. The thought of being out of commission for weeks freaks me out. Plus, I’ve seen some people online who said their surgery didn’t even solve the pain. That kind of stuff makes me second-guess everything.
The cost is brutal, but honestly, if the splint keeps me away from surgery (and all that comes with it), I guess it’s worth it. Still, I wish insurance covered more of this stuff. It’s not like we’re asking for spa treatments, you know? Just trying to chew without pain.
Anyway, if you’re feeling frustrated with the splint right now, you’re not alone. It took me a while to notice any change, and even now, I’m still a little skeptical some days. But I’d rather stick with the awkward mouthguard than roll the dice on surgery just yet.
Totally get where you’re coming from—the price tag on those splints is wild, and wearing one just feels awkward at first. But honestly, I’d take a few weeks of drooling over jaw surgery any day. I’ve seen friends regret jumping into surgery too soon... sometimes it just swaps one problem for another. And yeah, insurance should really step up here.
But honestly, I’d take a few weeks of drooling over jaw surgery any day. I’ve seen friends regret jumping into surgery too soon...
I get that surgery might seem like a quicker fix, but for me, the splint route made more sense, especially with my budget. The price was rough, yeah, but spreading it out over a few months was still less scary than hospital bills. I actually got used to the splint after a week or two—wasn’t as awkward as I expected. Plus, I liked being able to take it out if I needed a break. Surgery just felt like a bigger leap, and I was worried about recovery time and all the “what ifs.” Anyone else find the adjustment to splints not as bad as they thought?
I actually got used to the splint after a week or two—wasn’t as awkward as I expected. Plus, I liked being able to take it out if I needed a break.
That’s pretty much how it went for me too. I thought wearing a splint would feel like having a chunk of plastic in my mouth 24/7, but after the first few days, my jaw kind of adapted. I did notice my speech was off at first—felt like I was lisping every time I tried to say “s” sounds—but that faded quick. The flexibility of being able to remove it during meals or meetings was a big plus, especially compared to something permanent.
From a technical angle, there’s just so much less risk with splints. No anesthesia, no surgical complications, and if something feels off, you can just take it out and see your dentist for an adjustment. Surgery always felt like jumping off a cliff—you can’t really “undo” it if you’re not happy with the results.
That said, the cost wasn’t nothing. My insurance barely covered any of it, so I had to budget for the upfront fitting and then the follow-up checks. Still, when I started looking at hospital bills for jaw surgery (not even counting time off work), the numbers were wild. It’s not just about the money though—recovery from surgery can mean weeks of swelling and limited function, which is tough if you have a job where you have to talk all day.
I do wonder about long-term outcomes though. Has anyone here had a splint for over a year? Did your symptoms stay gone? My dentist mentioned some people eventually need surgery anyway if their TMJ keeps deteriorating, but for now, I’m hoping this buys me some time.
Curious if anyone else noticed changes in their bite after using a splint for months? Mine shifted slightly—nothing major, but enough that chewing felt different for a while. Not sure if that’s normal or just my weird jaw mechanics doing their thing...
I’ve had my splint for about a year and a half now and honestly, I still get nervous every time something feels “off.” My bite definitely shifted a bit, especially in the first few months—chewing just felt weird, like my teeth didn’t quite fit together the same way. My dentist said that’s pretty normal, but it still made me anxious. My jaw pain is mostly better, though I do get flare-ups if I forget to wear it for a night or two. I’m always worried about needing surgery down the line, but for now the splint’s keeping things manageable. The cost stung, but compared to surgery… yeah, I’ll take this any day.
