SteveDiver
Contributor
Can anyone suggest a mouthpiece that would be good for someone with TMJ. My jaw locks up on me after diving from holding my reg.... It takes several hours for me to be able to open my jaw after diving...
Mouthpiece-TMJ
- Thread starter SteveDiver
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DiveMaven
Contributor
Try one of the SeaCure mouth pieces. They are the kind that you heat and mold to your mouth, and I love mine!
Ana
.
goofystan:
I don't know what is TMJ so my sugestion may not be of any value. I happen to talk a lot under water and find the "comfort bite" from US Divers (aqualung) to be perfect. You can have your mouth open and the thing stays in place.
Also you may think about your second stage, older models used to be quite heavy. I assume you are using a somehow modern, could the hose be pulling it making you to bite harder?
crlavoie
Contributor
goofystan:
I have the Comfo-Bite on my Titan LX and it works pretty well. It requires very little pressure to hold it in place because it uses rubber tabs behind your front teeth. It has a pretty small bite area as well.
All in all though, the key is to concentrate on not biting so hard. Another thing is look at your hood. I just changed to a hood that has more room / length in the jaw area and that has helped a lot.
OP
SteveDiver
Contributor
Ana:
No, it is not a hose issue. When I have my mouth clenched such as holding something in it my jaw locks. A couple of months ago I had to go to the hospital to unclentch my jaw by giving me a shot to relax my jaw muscle. It is not like I bite down.. It starts to get frustrating because I cannot open my mouth wide enough to eat... I will try the one you suggested... Thanks..
airsix
Contributor
Good topic! Are there any other TMJ afflicted divers here who can weigh in with their experiences? Have you tried a custom mouthpiece and did it help? I don't have TMJ, but my brother does and it is a major source of diving discomfort for him.
-Ben
-Ben
I'm another comfo-bite mouthpeice user... love it!
Laughing Swordfish
Guest
airsix:
I have some minor TMJ issues. Had a jaw surgery (mandible advancement) about five years ago. There is some minor residual nerve damage which makes it tough to hold a reg in my mouth for extended periods in cold water. Plus clenching is tough on the joint.
My solution is a FFM. I did some minor custom work to a Kirby Morgan band mask and hooked it up to my doubles. It's a bit of a gas hog, but makes a wonderful shallow water nitrox Cadillac. Now my jaw is relaxed, my face is warm, I breathe through my nose, and don't have to taste salt water. Might not be the right thing for everyone, but a FFM might be worth looking into if it's a major problem.
KBeck
Contributor
Stan, I swear by my SeaCure. @ $25 at dive shops, available from Leisure Pro or similar online as well. I have almost debilitating TMJ, and without it I would have lockjaw as well...even with it I have to take it out for a few seconds and massage my jaws...........
But, because it's very large, (probably similar to a football mouthguard) it stays in the mouth without exerting any "bite-down" pressure.
There are several models, each corresponding to various regulators, so you'd need to be sure to buy the right one (graph on the back of the box). Boil it, bite into it while hot, and it's custom fit to your mouth. I have a tiny mouth (congenital), so I cut off the back edge of the bite to reduce that "gag-reflex", but otherwise, it's perfect.
I've had it @ 3-4 years, and love it. For $25, well worth it.
But, because it's very large, (probably similar to a football mouthguard) it stays in the mouth without exerting any "bite-down" pressure.
There are several models, each corresponding to various regulators, so you'd need to be sure to buy the right one (graph on the back of the box). Boil it, bite into it while hot, and it's custom fit to your mouth. I have a tiny mouth (congenital), so I cut off the back edge of the bite to reduce that "gag-reflex", but otherwise, it's perfect.
I've had it @ 3-4 years, and love it. For $25, well worth it.
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