Night Guards
Night Guards, or Occlusal splints (also
called bite splints, or bite planes,) are removable dental
appliances carefully molded to fit the upper or lower arches of
teeth.
They are used to protect tooth and
restoration surfaces, manage mandibular (jaw) dysfunction, and
stabilize occlusion or create space prior to restoration
procedures. People prone to nocturnal bruxism, or nighttime
clenching, should routinely wear occlusal splints at night.
Occlusal splints are typically made of a
heat-cured acrylic resin. Soft acrylic or light cured composite,
or vinyl splints may be made more quickly and cheaply, but are
not as durable, and are more commonly made for short-term use.
Soft splints are also used for children, because normal growth
changes the fit of hard splints.
They generally cover all the teeth of the
upper or lower arch, but partial coverage is sometimes used.
Occlusal splints are usually used on either the upper or the
lower teeth, termed maxillary splints or mandibular splints
respectively, but sometimes both types are used at the same
time. Maxillary splints are more common, although various
situations favor mandibular splints.
Stabilizing or Michigan-type occlusal splints
are generally flat against the opposing teeth, and help jaw
muscle relaxation, while repositioning occlusal splints are used
to reposition the jaw to improve occlusion.
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