Dental Splint and Teeth Grinding
Have you been told that you grind your teeth at night? Are you suffering from headaches, jaw pain and discomfort? You might benefit from a splint.
An occlusal splint is a dental guard device which is commonly used to protect teeth, joints, and muscles. It’s highly effective for people who clench or grind their teeth during sleep which may be caused by stress or anxiety. Splints absorb and disperse much of the force used when teeth grinding by creating a physical barrier between your teeth.
Wearing a splint not only protects your teeth from cracking and wear but also can help with lifestyle changes for example reducing headaches and jaw pain. If your dental professional is recommending you get one it is likely because you may be experiencing some of the symptoms below.
Symptoms and effects of teeth grinding;
- Excessive wear and tear of teeth, cracks in molars
- TMD (Temporal Mandibular Dysfunction) – jaw pain and locked jaw
- Neck pain
- Headaches and migraines
- Facial pain
Generally speaking, the more stressed a person is the more they will grind and clench. Most grinding happens unconsciously, however sometimes people may find themselves clenching in the day without knowing it.
No they do not, they simply prop your jaw slightly open to protect the teeth from damage and also try to help keep the muscles relaxed.
Another effective treatment for grinding, clenching and jaw pain relief is injecting Dysport (muscle relaxant) into the masseter muscle, temporalis and other surrounding jaw muscles, to relax the jaw line and provide headache and pain relief.