Night guard/Splints for Grinding ‘Bruxism’ 

Bruxism refers to excessive teeth grinding or clenching. A grinding or clenching habit can result in permanent loss of enamel, cracking, and splitting of teeth, as well as jaw joint damage.

The health of both children and adults can be negatively affected by bruxism during daytime or at night.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Most people don’t realise they grind their teeth because they do it subconsciously while sleeping. The only way you may learn that you suffer from bruxism is if someone tells you they have seen or heard you grinding your teeth. There are a variety of signs that may appear depending on the intensity, frequency, and nature of the clenching or grinding, including:

• chronic headaches, neck aches, and facial pain
• grinding sounds heard by partners or family members
• pain on biting hard foods
• teeth that are cracked, chipped, or fractured
• clicking of the jaw joints
• earache-like pain in the jaw joints
• dentin is exposed by flattened teeth
• muscles of the face, neck, or temporal region that are stiff or tight

How is grinding treated?

Bruxism is not curable, but it can be treated in a variety of ways, depending on the underlying cause. The following actions seem to be very effective when combined:

• NIght guard/ bite splint – It is possible to manage the problem by wearing night guards and bite splints, which can help prevent further damage to the teeth and decompress the jaw muscles.
• Stress management – The stress factor is one of the main contributors to teeth grinding in many people. The use of relaxation techniques can be an important part of everyday life for those who grind their teeth due to stress.
• Massage therapy – It has been proven that regular massage therapy is effective in treating head, neck, and jaw pain in patients that grind their teeth. 
• Tongue and jaw exercises – Exercises for the jaw and tongue are important for reducing pain and extending range of motion. We can suggest exercises and stretches that can calm the tension and stress that is felt in the muscles and joints.

What is a bite splint?

A bite splint (also called a night guard) is a custom-made appliance that fits over the teeth to prevent natural teeth, crowns, and implants from breaking, cracking, and wearing away. In addition, they aid in the relief of muscle tension and symptoms associated with painful jaw joints.

How much does a bite splint cost?

This will depend on the type of material recommended for each patient. The most common bite splint used is as decompression splint, or “soft splint”, which starts from $1200.