We were in a car accident and have $35,000 in medical bills. Recently my TMJ is really acting up. I lost my mouth guard (hence the TMJ acting up). I absolutely cannot afford another one right now. I noticed there are some mouth guards that you can get at the drug store. Will those work enough or will I be throwing away more money?
Drew B.- Searcy, AR
Drew,
A store bought mouth guard will be better than nothing, but it will not be any where near the quality of a custom made one from your dentist. They come in a small, medium, large, or a one size fits all. You may know your exact size, but if not, you’ll need to get the one size fits all. The other thing to be aware of is how quickly you will wear through it with grinding. It sounds like you are under a lot of stress, which does tend to encourage a grinding habit.
You may check with your insurance to see if they will cover a portion of the cost so you can get one that is specifically designed for your bite. Another option is to see if your TMJ dentist uses Care Credit. They have low and no interest payment plans which will allow you to get the treatment you need and pay it off a little at a time.
This blog is brought to you by Seattle Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Brian McKay.
