Prevention - Tooth Grinding

Millions of dollars are lost every year because of headaches. Employers lose productive hours from their employees, who in turn lose wages due to their inability to function. Insurance companies pay out for doctor visits and prescriptions. Sometimes untested medications are prescribed (Vioxx, etc.) which jeopardize your health. What many insurance companies and physicians fail to recognize is that much of what has been lumped into the category of MIGRAINE is in fact masticatory muscle myospasm (MMM).

Definition of MMM – The muscles which open and close the lower jaw (mastication = chewing) are in spasm due to the fact that they cannot achieve a comfortable rest position. When muscles are constantly firing, they are in spasm and that spasm causes pain. The muscles that are primarily involved are the temporalis, the masseters, and the pterygoids (internal & external).

Bruxism & TMD
We are committed to preventive dentistry, so we are always on the alert for symptoms that could lead to chronic difficulties like temporo-mandibular joint disorder (TMD). This is a common problem that involves the joints used in chewing, swallowing, and talking. TMD can lead to localized symptoms or seemingly unrelated headaches and earaches. One of the first culprits we look for during regular examinations is bruxism.

Bruxism is the name for forceful grinding and/or clenching of your teeth. Grinding is usually noisy; clenching is silent. Either can create so much stress on the jaw that patients experience serious and even debilitating muscle spasms and pain, common symptoms of TMD.

Many patients are unaware of the “brux,” so we look for telltale signs that include:

Worn down teeth
Sensitive teeth
Chipped or broken teeth
Cracked or loose restorations
Scarring of the tongue or cheeks

Although earlier attempts to cure bruxism have ranged from sound alarms, electrical stimulation, psychotherapy, hypnosis and drugs, we can now recommend simple, effective dental solutions. Some act like a crutch to rest the jaw joints, while others encourage a natural reflex that stops your jaw automatically to protect your teeth and jaw joints.

We recommend regular dental visits so that we can monitor your oral health – and prevent little problems of all kinds from getting bigger.

The NTI Solution
There is a simple solution. It’s called the NTI Plus! Many of our patients who suffer from headaches find relief with NTI Plus. It also protects your teeth from chips, cracks and wear.

What is it? The NTI Plus is a small simple device that fits securely and comfortably on your upper or lower front teeth while you sleep.

How does it work? Wearing the NTI Plus keeps the back teeth from meeting which prevents jaw-clenching, the intense muscle contractions of the scalp and jaw that migraine and chronic headache sufferers experience during sleep. This intense muscle activity usually occurs without the sufferer’s knowledge, and has been linked to increased severity and frequency of headache and migraine pain. Wearing the NTI Plus also helps protect your teeth from damage caused by bruxing and clenching...an activity that can wear your teeth down or cause chips and cracks.

We would be pleased to show you a NTI Plus appliance during your next check-up.