Cupertino dentist, Dentist in Cupertino, CA

We live in a very busy world with many demands placed on us. Unfortunately many of us take out stress on our teeth and jaws. Many of us grind or clench our teeth together when we are sleeping and don't even know we are doing it. Common signs of teeth grinding include sore or sensitive teeth, tender jaw muscles, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, tension headaches in the temporal areas, and even migraine headaches. These signs often manifest the strongest in the morning when grinding takes place at night.

Since each person is different, we offer several types of night guards:

• A "soft" night guard is a relatively inexpensive option that functions to protect the teeth and give limited relief from grinding habits.
• A "hard" night guard protects the teeth and places the bite and jaw system in a more relaxed position eliminating any biting interferences.
• The NTI Tension Suppression System or NTI device is a special type of night guard that is placed on the front teeth only. It also protects the teeth and relaxes the jaw system, but it has additional functions that make it very effective. It eliminates the back teeth from contacting. This greatly reduces the force you can produce while clenching your teeth. We see a reduction in jaw joint and facial muscle pain, teeth sensitivity, tension headaches, and even migraine headaches. The device is actually FDA approved for prevention of medically diagnosed migraine pain. For more information on this device go to: www.headacheprevention.com.
• Oral appliances that can be used to treat snoring and mild sleep apnea.

The "soft" and "hard" night guards are made in a similar manner. On the first visit impressions are taken of the teeth, and stone models are made from the impressions. We use the duplicate models to fabricate the night guards. A second visit is required to try in the appliance and make necessary adjustments.

The NTI device is made from a pre-made pattern that is lined in the mouth for a custom fit. It only requires one visit. Adjustments are made at that same visit.

The snoring appliances can be made from molds of the teeth or can be made directly in the mouth like the NTI device depending on the type of appliance made.