Mouth or Night Guards
& Bite Splints

When we say dental guards, we mean mouth guards and night guards, both of which fall into the category of dental guards. Bite splints are not dental guards. The three types of dental guards:

• Custom-fitted: This is the best option as it’s the most comfortable and protects you the best. We fit the dental guard exactly to your mouth.
• Boil and bite: Generally easy to use, you can find a boil-and-bite dental guard in the sporting goods store. You soften the guard in hot water, then place it in your mouth to mold it to your teeth. They usually adapt to your teeth well, but because these guards are made to fit so many different mouths, they may feel bulky to you.

Stock or pre-made: The benefit to a stock dental guard is it can be worn right away. However, they usually don’t fit well and can make it more difficult to breathe or talk, which can hinder athletes while playing sports.

• Permissive bite splints prevent the biting surface of the teeth from touching and open up the bite.

• Non-permissive bite splints move the condyles (parts of the jaw) into proper alignment.

• Hydrostatic splint: is filled with water, so when you bite down on it, the fluid evenly distributes across your bite, relaxing your muscles

• Silicone splints are used for treating myofascial pain syndrome. 

• Stabilization splints are typically used to help patients with TMDs.

Temporomandibular (TMD) disorders occur when the muscles, bones, and joints of the jaw and face don’t move together as they should, oftentimes causing pain and discomfort along with chewing, talking, yawning, or swallowing issues. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders deal specifically with the two joints that connect your lower jaw to your mouth, so TMJ problems fall within TMD ones.

Bite splints are often used to treat TMD and TMJ disorders. Common symptoms include:

• Pain or tenderness in your face, jaw, neck, shoulders, and/or in and around your ears when you chew, speak, or open your mouth wide
• Headaches, earaches, or tinnitus
• Clicking, popping, or locking of the jaw
• Teeth clenching or grinding
• A change in your bite (how your teeth come together)
• Limited mobility of your mouth
• Sensitive teeth without any other underlying dental issue

Technically called bruxism, most patients who receive this diagnosis don’t even realize they grind their teeth. It shows up as teeth and dental restorations slowly and consistently wearing out, or tooth or jaw soreness. A mouth guard or night guard is often enough to remedy the issue, but excessive grinding can lead to TMD disorders, which require a bite splint (as noted above).

Often found in patients who are under a lot of stress, clenching can cause TMJ issues, because it puts added stress on the jaw joints and muscles. A key difference between clenching and grinding is that clenching doesn’t cause the teeth to wear down like grinding does.

Anything you’re going to have protecting your mouth needs to be clean, which also protects your mouth. Whether a mouth guard you wear during your hockey games or a night guard or bite splint you wear at night, make sure to properly maintain it.

• Rinse your dental guard before and after you wear it.
• Clean it regularly in cool, soapy water, rinsing thoroughly.
• Bring your dental guard or bite splint to your bi-annual cleaning appointment.
• Store the guard in a quality container with vents.
• Avoid leaving the guard in the sun or hot water.