Protective Mouth Guards

NTI’s AKA: Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition (reducing Negative Trigeminal Input) and Other Bruxism Guards

Many people today suffer from teeth wear, often caused by clenching and grinding of the teeth. Stress, hectic lifestyles, as well as mal-aligned teeth, improper occlusion, missing teeth, and other dental conditions can, over time, cause the natural dentition to wear down. This results in tooth sensitivity, mobility, notching at the gum lines, receding gums, and other problems which must be addressed. Aside from dental problems, patients who clench and grind their teeth often suffer from migraines, other types of headaches, and TMJ or jaw pain. To alleviate such problems and prevent further tooth wear, we offer several types of protective guards for the teeth.

One type, approved by the FDA for treatment of migraines, is called the NTI. It is a small acrylic night guard, which is custom-lined with acrylic to snap over either the top or bottom front teeth. It consists of a small guide ramp that allows the jaw to glide around smoothly, without allowing the facial muscles to contract strongly. This alleviates muscle and jaw pain, and protects the teeth from wear, as the back teeth do not touch with the appliance in the mouth.

Sports Guards

As many of our patients are involved in competitive sports, such as basketball, baseball, and football, we also offer protective mouth guards that cover the teeth and gums, to help support the teeth and protect them from a traumatic injury. Impressions are taken and guards are made right in our office.