Splints or nightguards are necessary if your grinding or clenching your teeth.

Otherwise known as bruxism, excessive clenching or grinding of teeth that is not part of normal chewing – such as can occur during your sleep – can lead to accelerated tooth wear, tension headaches and may cause damage to the jaw joint.  A combination of both physical and psychological factors contribute, the most common being stress. If teeth are not protected while this excessive grinding or clenching of teeth occurs, it  will eventually result in the need for dental treatments in the form of repairing chipped teeth and fillings as well as resulting in the development of hair line cracks which commonly may need  restoring with fillings, crowns, root canals or extractions. Furthermore grinding teeth can lead to shortening of your teeth due to tooth wear. this can result in an ‘older’ looking smile. Unfortunately this is not easily repaired unless we do a cosmetic makeover involving crowns – often 6-8 of them.  Lastly, grinding your teeth is a risk factor for gum disease – so you can see how important it is to treat or control this condition. Even if you only grind occasionally through several periods throughout the year- the years add up! It’s important to wear guard over your teeth called a ‘splint’ while your sleeping throughout these periods.

An occlusal splints for grinding teeth are a custom-made appliance designed to carefully fit over the upper or lower teeth.  They are used for treatment of patients with bruxism,  jaw joint disorders and related diseases such as tension headaches and neck pain.

Splints offer a safe, easy, and cost-effective way to prevent further wear and damage to teeth and jaw joint.