Get Fast Relief From Headaches & Sore Teeth and Jaws With NTI Tension Suppression System From The Art of Smile Dental
If you suffer from frequent migraines, tension or morning headaches or sore and aching jaws it could be a result of teeth clenching and grinding while you sleep due to the tension and stress you experience throughout the day. Clenching your teeth while asleep is the result of the involuntary tensing up of some of the strongest muscles in your body called the temporalis muscles located on the sides of the head and used in chewing or closing of the mouth. When you clench your teeth, these muscles create tremendous stress and tension that apply an enormous amount of force to your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and temporal nerves, often resulting in chronic headaches, achy jaw joints, sore and painful muscles in the face, neck and back and sometimes even cracked teeth.
The most common treatment for teeth grinding is a night guard appliance. However, while night guards are designed to protect your teeth from grinding in your sleep they do not actually stop the clenching activity and therefore, cannot reduce the pain associated with it. This is where a small dental appliance called NTI comes in. The NTI is a tension suppression system, which simply means it prevents the clenching action thus eliminating or alleviating the discomfort associated with clenching, such as headaches and jaw pain.
The concept behind how the NTI appliance works is pretty simple. If you accidentally bite down on something hard with your front teeth, your mouth will open right away. That’s because of the “Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibitory” (NTI) reflex, which keeps us from breaking our front teeth when we accidentally bite down on something too hard. The NTI appliance takes advantage of this reflex via a small clear acrylic bite guard worn on either the upper or lower front teeth while you sleep. If you begin to clench your teeth, you bite down on the guard, activating the reflex and stopping the clenching before it starts.
The NTI is currently the only existing FDA approved non-surgical method for prevention and treatment of migraine headaches. The NTI works by reducing the force of the clenching while you sleep. By reducing the intensity of the clenching you’re effectively minimizing the source of the pain, resulting in a relief of the pain and discomfort associated with clenching, often within a few days. Many patients report significant relief overnight, others usually within a month. Your highly trained clenching muscles have to unlearn their intense activity, and the time it takes to accomplish this varies from patient to patient.
Although the NTI appliance is specially fitted by your dentist, no impressions or molds of your teeth are required. The dental appliance can be fitted right in the dentist’s office in less than 30 minutes. Once properly fitted to your teeth, the NTI appliance snaps into place and should not be able to be removed without using your hands.
At The Art of Smile Dental Studio we have treated many patients who suffer with headaches, achy jaws and sore muscles as a result of clenching. You may find that with regular use of your NTI, you’ll be more productive throughout the day because you are pain free and more comfortable with less tension and stress.
Protect Your Smile With A Custom-Fit Night Guard From The Art Of Smile Dental!
Millions of people are affected by bruxism, a common condition involving the upper teeth grinding against the lower, usually at night, but in some cases during daytime as well. Occasional teeth grinding doesn’t require treatment, but chronic teeth grinding can lead to wearing down of the natural tooth enamel, tooth breakage, as well as various other health issues such as headaches, neck and jaw muscle soreness and tightness, along with facial joint disorders.
Many people who grind their teeth at night are unaware of the damage that is causing to their teeth. Most people only know they grind their teeth because they are grinding loud enough to wake their bed partner or their dentist can see evidence of bruxism in the damage to their teeth or their dental restorations.
People that smoke and drink alcohol are more likely to grind their teeth. Stress is also a huge causal factor of grinding. The more stress you may be experiencing in life the more often you will grind your teeth. Most people are cyclic grinders; meaning that they tend to go through periods where they grind more, mostly when feeling stressed. Children can also grind their teeth. Usually, they will grow out of the habit. In some cases grinding in kids can be from a closed airway. Grinding can be the signal that the child can’t breathe at night and may need their tonsils and adenoids out.
To protect your smile, and prevent premature wearing down of the teeth and other symptoms caused by teeth grinding, a custom-fabricated night guard or occlusal appliance may usually be recommended. Custom-fitted mouth guards are individually designed. Impressions of your teeth are taken and sent to a professional dental lab where a mouth guard is then molded over the model using a special high-grade material according to your dentist’s instructions.
Due to the use of the special material and because of the extra time and work involved, this custom-made mouth guard is more expensive than the other types, but it provides the most comfort, protection and certainly the better choice. Generally, mouth guards cover your upper teeth only, but in some instances, your dentist will make a mouth guard for the lower teeth as well. An effective mouth guard should be comfortable, resist tears, be durable and easy to clean, and should not restrict your breathing or speech. To discuss your treatment options or schedule an appointment call us today.