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What is a bite splint?

Bite splints, also called gum shields, are clear devices that protect teeth from nighttime grinding and pressure problems. In addition to preventing tooth wear, they are also used because they relieve the main symptoms of problems such as pain and tension in the mouth, jaw and head area.

 

What are the disadvantages of teeth grinding and the advantages of the bite splint?

Teeth wear

We press and grind our teeth at night during sleep because of negative experiences and stress during the day. This is an involuntary movement, but it damages our teeth and therefore leads to heat and cold sensitivity in the tooth tissue. The use of the bite splint prevents damage to the chewing surfaces of the teeth.

 

Bruxism (tooth fractures and cracks in the enamel)

Bruxism can be defined as an activity of pressing or grinding the teeth and can affect people of all ages. This activity is carried out by the muscles of mastication, and since it has no function, it can cause various consequences such as fractures of the teeth and crowns, cracks in the enamel layer, tooth wear and muscle pain.

 

Joint Disorders

Nightly teeth grinding and pressing during sleep is the main cause of TMJ disorders. All the muscles and joints we use when opening and closing the mouth and eating are affected by this condition.

 

Chronic headaches

When we wake up at night with a headache, the cause may be teeth grinding and pressing (bruxism).

 

What types of bite splints are there?

Soft bite splints

This is the most common type of night bite splint and is generally preferred for patients with mild bruxism symptoms.

 

Combined bite splints

The inner surface is soft, the outer part is made of hard material and is preferred for severe and advanced bruxism patients.

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