Grinding Splints

Investing in a grinding splint can help protect your teeth from wear and tear, relieve headaches and relax jaw tension

Bruxism refers to grinding of the teeth and clenching of the jaw during sleep, and sometimes during the day. In addition to being detrimental to your oral health, bruxism can lead to headaches, jaw pain and fatigue as a result of disruption to normal sleeping patterns.

While stress is the common cause of bruxism, in many cases, it can be a result of the body’s reaction when your teeth do not line up or come together properly.

If left untreated, bruxism can damage your teeth, wear down protective enamel (resulting in tooth sensitivity), or break dental fillings. TMD (temporomandibular dysfunction) which can present a variety of uncomfortable symptoms including :

• Headaches, upon awakening or during the day
• Pain or tenderness in the face, jaw joint area, neck and shoulders, and in or around the ear when you chew, speak, or open your mouth wide
• Limited ability to open the mouth very wide
• Clicking or popping sounds in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth (which may or may not be accompanied by pain) or chewing

A grinding splint (occlusal splint) is a simple oral appliance that is comfortably fitted to the mouth to be worn whenever necessary (usually when asleep) to prevent the damage caused by bruxing, and can also provide simultaneous relief from the symptoms of TMD.