During one of your yearly appointments at the dentist after a thorough inspection of your teeth, your dentist informs you that you need a bite splint. What is a bite splint? What benefits does it provide, and are bite splints affordable? Here’s what you need to know about bite splints:
What is a Bite Splint?
A bite splint is a dental device created to prevent teeth grinding and teeth clenching. “Bite splint” is an older term but one that is interchangeable with night guard, teeth grinding guard, or occlusal guard. Bite splints are worn at night to protect the dangerous habit of teeth grinding or clenching, which comes from the stress and anxiety of life. An occlusal guard is worn on either the top or bottom row of teeth and is created from durable material meant to provide maximum protection against teeth grinding or clenching.
Where Can I Get a Bite Splint?
Your dentist may suggest that you purchase a teeth grinding guard after inspecting your teeth. If your teeth are starting to wear down, nerves for your teeth may begin to become exposed making your teeth sensitive to hot or cold foods or giving a general pain throughout the day. You’ll need further protection or risk series dental damage that will be very expensive to repair. Your dentist can craft a sleep mouth guard for you, but it may cost you hundreds of dollars. SportingSmiles is an online dental production company that crafts the exact same bite splints that your dentist would make you at half the cost. By ordering online from SportingSmiles, you can receive a custom bite splint in two weeks. If you receive one from the dentist you’ll likely have to make a follow-up appointment to receive it.
What If I Don’t Wear a Bite Splint?
People who suffer from teeth grinding can tell you how much better they sleep with a night guard. Custom grinding guards are crafted for comfort and protection. Wearing one will give you instant relief as you sleep peacefully throughout the night. If you grind your teeth or clench your jaw without wearing protection at night, you risk grinding down your teeth and exposing nerves. Clenching your jaw is just as dangerous and you may wake up with constant morning headaches as your muscles become exhausted and overworked from the clenching. In extreme cases of jaw clenching your facial structure can actually change after years of clenching as the bone tendons become worn.
Night guards are a crucial piece to protecting yourself from teeth grinding. SportingSmiles offers six different kinds of protection depending on your symptoms. When you wear one you not only protect your teeth from massive damage but you protect your wallet from costly repairs which will come without protection. Even if the term “bite splint” is old-fashioned, the device is top-of-the-line. What is a bite splint? It’s a device designed to prevent teeth grinding and protect your teeth long-term against the hazardous habit caused by stress and anxiety. Now that you know what is a bite splint, you can make an informed decision on if you need one.
