OCCLUSAL SPLINTS FOR TEETH GRINDING
Occlusal splints or night guards are removable devices that are made by a dentist and technician and computer generated to fit exactly over your teeth, to prevent the wearing away of teeth during sleep due to night time grinding and clenching.
Occlusal splints have ramps or indentations built into them to limit the movement of the lower jaw to eliminate damage to the jaw joint
Most splints function by separating the teeth so that pressure cannot be applied to the tooth structure
They provide the dentist with diagnostic information so that the way the splint is wearing allows the dentist to analyse and diagnose the amount and position of wear areas on the splint
They allow muscles that are in spasm to relax
They protect the teeth and jaws from excessive wear and tear
They limit the stress on the teeth and jaw joint
They can allow repositioning of the jaws into a bite that places less forces on the teeth
They can show interferences of teeth in the bite that might cause the jaw muscles that close the jaw to become overactive, with very small interferences with the fullness of fillings causing changes in jaw muscle activity
They promote muscle relaxation by providing a platform for the teeth that allows equal tooth contacts
They immediately separate the back teeth in all movements to reduce stress on the jaw joint.
They allow harmony of the nerves and muscles in the jaw and jaw joint that allow for optimal function and comfort.