This seems to be the standard prescription when dentists don't know what else to do for this injury. Bite guards are designed to prevent unintentional teeth grinding and clenching. It's prescribed for people with TMJ...which lingual nerve injury is NOT.
That's not to say that some people may have, or develop, TMJ as a result. But certainly not everyone has it, nor does everyone need an expensive, overnight bite guard. Mine cost over $1,100 US!
To diagnose whether an overnight bite guard is necessary, they should look at the surface of your teeth; this will reveal if you are grinding at night while you sleep. My tooth surface was NOT worn down... but I do notice that I clench, keeping my jaw tight/tense, because of the pain.
One thing a guard may help with is having a smooth surface to press your tongue against when burning is the worst. Beyond that, for me at least, it was just an expensive piece of plastic that ended up in the back of a drawer.
I wish I had that money back now...in hindsight, I would never have bought a bite guard. I share this information to hopefully help others save the money, although I can't be sure everyone will have the same results I did....Has the bite guard helped you? If so, please describe what you use, and how often.
Best, jf :)
