splint vs physical therapy for TMJ relief?

My daughter dealt with TMJ issues last year, and we went through a similar debate. Initially, the dentist recommended a splint, but she absolutely hated the idea of sleeping with something bulky in her mouth. We decided to give PT a shot first, figuring we could always revisit the splint option later if needed.

Honestly, PT was surprisingly helpful. The therapist taught her exercises to relax and strengthen her jaw muscles, and after about 6-8 weeks, she noticed a significant improvement. She still occasionally gets flare-ups if she's stressed or chewing gum too much (typical teen stuff...), but overall it's been manageable without needing the splint.

One thing I'm curious about though—did your dentist mention anything about combining both methods? Ours briefly mentioned that some patients do PT alongside using a splint temporarily. Wondering if anyone here has tried that combo approach and how it worked out long-term.

I was pretty anxious about this myself when I first started having TMJ issues. My dentist pushed the splint pretty hard, but like your daughter, I dreaded the idea of sleeping with something bulky in my mouth. Decided to try PT first, and honestly, it made a huge difference. The therapist showed me some jaw relaxation techniques and stretches that really helped ease the tension. After about two months, my symptoms improved significantly.

But here's the thing—I did eventually try the splint briefly during a stressful period when my jaw pain flared up again. Surprisingly, using it temporarily alongside PT exercises seemed to speed up relief. It wasn't as uncomfortable as I'd imagined, either (though still not my favorite thing...). Long-term, I've mostly stuck with PT exercises and only use the splint occasionally if things get rough. So yeah, combining both methods can be helpful, but I'd definitely recommend starting with PT first and seeing how it goes before committing to wearing a splint every night.