TMJ and alternative mouthpieces

[MB104]

I use the SeaCure too. I used to end each dive with jaw pain from having to clench down hard on the standard mouthpiece on whichever reg. I was using. Now I have no problems, no pain, and no discomfort. There is no effore in keeping the mouthpiece in place. When I use another reg. without a SeaCure, I notice a huge difference.

 

[cozudiver]

I have purchased and now LOVE my Manta Bite mouth piece.
You don't need your teeth to keep it in your mouth at all.
It stays in your mouth with it's "Manta" wings.

www.manta-bite.com

It looks sort of weird, and can be trimmed to fit.
I no longer have sore teeth or a sore jaw during or after diving.
They also have a 30 day money back guarantee.
A dentist invented this. So when you call to order, don't be surprised that you get a dentist's office.
You also have a choice of colors. I have the "glow in the dark".

It is also very unlikely to come out of your mouth in rough conditions.
If for some reason you would become unconsious, I think that it would remain in your mouth and allow for you to continue breathing.
So besides being more comfortable under normal circumstances, I also believe that it is a safer mouthpiece for when conditions change.

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

From the looks of it, there is still a bite tab...I would suppose that depending on the diver, you could still bite down and create stress on the joints. Do you learn NOT to bite and let the wings hold it in?

I was also wondering...when the wings are inside your cheeks....does it make your ears look bigger? :11:...never mind.

I had not heard of the Manta Wings before. If they work, that wonderful.

Larry Stein

 

[cozudiver]

From the looks of it, there is still a bite tab...I would suppose that depending on the diver, you could still bite down and create stress on the joints. Do you learn NOT to bite and let the wings hold it in?

I was also wondering...when the wings are inside your cheeks....does it make your ears look bigger? :11:...never mind.

I had not heard of the Manta Wings before. If they work, that wonderful.

Larry Stein

I learned not to bite - clench my teeth - during physical therapy because of my MPD.
The bite tab is rather small, and is really only there if another dive should need to use it in an emergency. Also easier to for your predive check by just using that.

My first few dives, I did use the bite tab a bit. But I don't believe that I do anymore. I have about 30 dives with this now. I'm comfortable with it and really do love it.

 

[SDAnderson]

This is a repost of a review of the Manta-Bite mouthpiece that I posted on another board a few years ago. To address the question about the bite tab; it's there but you don't use/notice it. The primary function for the bite tab is to allow a buddy to use it in an OOA situation without having to stuff the whole thing in their mouth.

The Manta-Bite has two selling points: increased comfort and safety. The premise is that the large wings eliminate the clenching that leads to jaw fatigue and TMJ problems and also makes it impossible for the regulator to accidentally fall out of your mouth. Pretty cool stuff if it actually works, eh?

I have to admit that I had a hard time suppressing a giggle when I first saw one of these things. Whoooeee, just plain goofy looking. Two great big flaps sticking straight out and just this tiny little nub for your teeth to grab ahold of; my first thought was that it would never fit in my mouth. Excessive pride never having been one of my character faults, however, I didn't wait to tie it on a regulator and instead stuffed the thing in my mouth and drove home. Those of us that live/work in downtown Chicago may pride ourselves on being unflappable, but put a big guy in a big SUV driving in rush hour Loop traffic with his cheeks bulging out like some kind of rabid chipmunk and a little plastic hole peeking out through his lips and you will get stares. By the time I got home I had decided that the thing had potential as a device to get pedestrians to hustle out of the way, if nothing else.

The first problem I encountered is that I couldn't get the Manta-Bite to fit on a ScubaPro G250 regulator. Maybe it could have been torqued on, but I didn't want to break anything. It did fit on an Apex TX100, however, so I was in business. I didn't get a chance to put the Manta-Bite to a serious multi-day multi-dive test until the end of March. I found that:

• It requires none/zero/zip/nada effort to keep this thing in your mouth. I've never had a problem with sore jaws from clenching a regulator in my mouth, but I noticed an improvement pretty much right away - my jaws were less tired. If you are one of the many that suffer from TMJ type problems or that tend to bite through your mouthpiece, you should definitely consider a Manta-Bite.
  
• It can be removed from your mouth easily with just a pull. It doesn't tear at your lips or gums as it's removed.
  
• It can't be removed from your mouth without a pull. Shake, rattle and roll your head as fast and as hard as you want - you have to want the thing to come out of your mouth or it won't.
  
• It can be used to donate in the event of an OOA emergency, but I'd be sure to brief my buddy before I hit the water with it. It isn't necessary to insert the wings into your mouth for use. There is a small bite ring that will allow more or less conventional use so that a user doesn't have to stuff the whole contraption into his mouth before being able to breath off it.
  
• It's pretty darn comfortable. I noticed a small sore spot developing on the inside of my upper lip after several days of repetitive diving, but not bad and I think a little judicious trimming might have taken care of the problem. (Note: I did subsequently do some trimming, the process was easy and the results were effective.)
  
• It can be trimmed to fit. The silicone is soft enough to be cut and I suspect that most people will want/need some customizing.
  
• It comes with easy to understand instructions and all the parts you need to install it. You'll want some small tools like a small knife and wire cutters, maybe needle-nosed pliers to remove the old mouthpiece and attach the Manta-Bite.
  
• An interesting and unexpected possible benefit: it made my mouth water. I thought that this was obnoxious when I had the thing in my mouth on land, but once in the water I really enjoyed the reduction in dry-mouth that I usually experience.
  
• The back-end of a dive boat is a dangerous spot for most gear. The Manta-Bite doesn't show a scratch after several days of pretty serious abuse. A few weeks in the heat and humidity of Kona and there isn't even any mung growing on the thing - amazing.
  
• It's kinda pricey. At around US$45.00, including shipping, those of us with more than one regulator are going to have to think thrice before converting.

In summary, the Manta-Bite worked as advertised. If you suffer from jaw tension caused by your mouthpiece, you should take a hard look at this thing. Likewise, those that have a personal concern about losing consciousness underwater (that old partial pressure of O2 thing) or suffer from terminal dry-mouth.

I should add that I didn't continue using the Manta-Bite. It worked just fine but I've had good results with the Comfo-Bite mouthpiece and wasn't really looking to change. The technical diving I do also means that I'm a little slow to adopt new things and the cost of converting all of my regulators would be substantial, too. I still think about it, especially when handing on a decompression line with a 1.6+ mix.

 

[zboss]

Hi gang,

You've already mentioned nearly all the commercially available mouthpieces. The ComfoBite is not held by the teeth so theoretically, it should reduce muscle strain. SeaCure and JAX mouthpieces are heat moldable. When done properly, an even, non-stressed bite is created and this ought to minimize muscle spasm.

There is a catch however. In my opinion, the instructions, when followed properly, DO NOT generate something called centric relation. If you are experiencing TMJ symptoms at the time you are shaping the bite, you will, very likely, generate a bite pattern that mates with your teeth when your bite is "out of whack." You learn to posture your jaw in the most comfortable position. If this position doesn't allow the jaw joints to seat properly, then this will strain the muscles. You will end up positioning your jaw to the learned position rather than the centric position which bite guards are supposed to be fabricated to.

There is a way around this but it is rather complicated to explain in print. If your dentist is willing, he might be able to manipulate your jaw into centric while shaping the bite.

One of the triggers to TMJ is to have heavy individual tooth contacts far back in the mouth. For this reason, you should certainly trim any extensions of the mouthpiece that are farther back than the first molars. Be aware that different regulators have different diameter openings in the second stage. Make sure that you purchase the correct size mouthpiece for your model.

I personally use the SeaCure and find that it works well.

Other ways to reduce strain on the jaws is to use an appropriate length hose, use a smooth functioning swivel, use a light weight second stage, make sure that you have a "dry" breathing regulator. A proper fit to the mask is also important. It it presses too tightly on the upper lip, it can displace the mouthpiece and you have to work harder to keep it positioned in your mouth. A full face mask, even with its bulk and bouyancy, is another method to reduce jaw strain and therefore TMJ symptoms.

It is even possible for improper weight distribution to exacerbate TMJ. If you are swimming in a awkward position and straining your neck, you can also contribute to general head and neck fatigue. If you already have TMJ problems, you swimming posture can affect you jaws.

In one of my posts in the past, I tried to describe a method of fabricating the SeaCure in the centric position. Keep looking on the board and perhaps you will find it.

Hope this helps.


Laurence Stein, DDS

Thanks, I will try what you suggest... i'm not sure if my problem is because of my back teeth being to large, rather it may be the opposite - they may be too small. I have to strain to close my jaw so my back teeth meet and I have a huge overlap of my front teeth. Also - when I close my jaw, my one side definately closes more than the other - I can't even come close to applying the same pressure on both sides.

I am wondering if the Comfobite will fit my Mares MR12?

 

[Firefyter]

Thanks, I will try what you suggest... i'm not sure if my problem is because of my back teeth being to large, rather it may be the opposite - they may be too small. I have to strain to close my jaw so my back teeth meet and I have a huge overlap of my front teeth. Also - when I close my jaw, my one side definately closes more than the other - I can't even come close to applying the same pressure on both sides.

I am wondering if the Comfobite will fit my Mares MR12?

The MR12 is the first stage, but to answer the question I think you're asking, I use my comfobite on a Proton second stage with no problems. Most of the Mares second stages should use the same, IIRC.

 

[zboss]

The MR12 is the first stage, but to answer the question I think you're asking, I use my comfobite on a Proton second stage with no problems. Most of the Mares second stages should use the same, IIRC.

Well - I switched over to a SeaCure on my primary and removed an inch from the hose... what a huge difference! I had NO issues this past trip... thanks for the advice!