Serving West Orange, NJ
Quick Relief for Headaches and Tooth Pain with NTI
If you experience frequent migraines, tension headaches, morning headaches, or a sore jaw, it may be due to clenching and grinding your teeth during sleep. This often happens as a result of the stress and tension you carry throughout the day. Teeth clenching occurs when the powerful temporalis muscles on the sides of your head tense up involuntarily. These muscles, which are responsible for chewing and closing your mouth, can generate significant stress. This pressure affects your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and temporal nerves, leading to chronic headaches, jaw pain, sore facial muscles, discomfort in your neck and back, and even cracked teeth in some cases.
The most common treatment for teeth grinding is a night guard, which protects your teeth from damage while you sleep. However, while night guards help shield your teeth, they don’t address the actual clenching action itself, so they don't necessarily relieve the pain that comes with it. This is where the NTI appliance comes in. NTI is a tension-suppressing system that prevents the clenching motion, effectively reducing or eliminating the discomfort associated with it, such as headaches and jaw pain.
The mechanism behind the NTI appliance is simple. Think of the “Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibitory” (NTI) reflex—if you accidentally bite down on something hard with your front teeth, your mouth will naturally open right away. This reflex prevents us from damaging our front teeth. The NTI appliance takes advantage of this reflex by using a small, clear acrylic bite guard worn on the upper or lower front teeth while you sleep. If you begin to clench, the guard activates the reflex, stopping the clenching before it starts.
NTI is the only FDA-approved non-surgical treatment specifically designed to prevent and treat migraine headaches. It works by reducing the force of your clenching while you sleep. With less intense clenching, the source of your pain is minimized, providing relief from discomfort, often within just a few days. Many patients feel significant relief right away, while others experience improvement within a month as their muscles adjust.
Although the NTI appliance is custom-fitted by your dentist, no impressions or molds are required. The fitting can be done in less than 30 minutes right in your dentist's office. Once in place, the NTI appliance snaps onto your teeth and stays securely there, without needing to be removed unless you use your hands.
At The Art of Smile Dental Studio, we’ve helped many patients who suffer from headaches, jaw pain, and muscle soreness caused by teeth clenching. With regular use of the NTI, you may find yourself more comfortable, less tense, and more productive during the day, free from pain and discomfort.
Safeguard Your Smile with a Personalized Night Guard from The Art of Smile Dental!
Bruxism, or teeth grinding, affects millions of people, typically occurring at night but sometimes during the day as well. While occasional grinding doesn’t typically require treatment, chronic grinding can result in significant damage, such as worn-down enamel, broken teeth, and other health issues, including headaches, sore neck and jaw muscles, tightness, and even facial joint disorders.
Many people who grind their teeth at night aren’t aware of the damage being done. Often, it’s only noticeable to others because of the noise that wakes a bed partner or because a dentist detects signs of bruxism through dental wear and tear.
Certain factors can increase the likelihood of grinding, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and stress. People under stress tend to grind their teeth more often, and it can come in cycles, with more intense grinding during stressful periods. Children can also grind their teeth, though they often outgrow it. In some cases, it may be linked to a blocked airway, indicating the need for further treatment, such as removing tonsils or adenoids.
To protect your smile and prevent the damaging effects of teeth grinding, a custom-fitted night guard is often recommended. These mouth guards are specifically designed for each patient, using impressions of your teeth to create a personalized guard in a professional dental lab. The material used for custom guards is high-grade, offering superior comfort and protection, though it is typically more expensive than over-the-counter options. While most night guards cover the upper teeth, your dentist may recommend a guard for the lower teeth in some cases. A well-made guard should be comfortable, durable, tear-resistant, and easy to clean, without interfering with your breathing or speech. To learn more about treatment options or schedule an appointment, give us a call today.
Chronic bad breath, or halitosis, affects millions of people and is often caused by decomposing food particles in the mouth. In this case, a thorough cleaning and guidance on better oral hygiene habits can usually resolve the issue.
If bad breath is not related to poor oral hygiene, we may need to perform a saliva test to pinpoint the exact cause. Once the source is identified, we can recommend the most appropriate treatment. Whatever the cause, we’re here to help ensure that bad breath no longer becomes a concern for you.
