Bruxism Splint

Bruxism is a condition in which the patient clenches and creaks with teeth, the noise of which is clearly perceived by the surrounding especialy night time. It is a parafunction of the chewing apparatus, as a result of the increased neuromuscular tone.

It concerns people under stress and neurosis. This condition requires particular attention, since its non-healing can lead to significant tooth-jaw deformities. Typical complaints are pain in chewing muscles, temples and chewing teeth. Prolonged creaking and clamping of the teeth leads to progressive wiping of the chewing surfaces of teeth, which in turn leads to changes in the proportions of the jaws and hence in the mandibular joints themselves.

Treatment of this condition is the prevention of stress, the use of muscle relaxants, the reduction of muscle tone, and the production of silicone bands protecting the teeth from direct friction used while patient is sleeping.