Teeth grinding and clenching also known as Bruxism generally occurs during sleep and can often go undetected. Bruxism is generally caused by psychological stress, anxiety and tension in your waking life. Bruxism causes chips in the teeth, wear of the biting surface and cracks in the teeth. This wears down tooth enamel, removes the sharp biting surfaces and flattens the edges of the teeth. Sometimes there is a tendency to grind the molars together, often a partner or family member is first to notice the sufferers condition due to this noise associated with this grinding throughout the night. Bruxism is one of the worlds most common sleep disorders. Over a period of time, tooth damage will occur and may also cause tooth loss. If enough enamel has been worn, the softer dentine will be exposed. This also leaves you at greater risk of tooth decay and also tooth fracture and in some people, gum recession. Early intervention is advisable.
An Occlusal Splint (also called a bite splint, bite plane, or night guard) is a removable dental appliance carefully moulded to fit the upper or lower arches of teeth worn at night to reduce the amount of grinding pressure transferred to the teeth. It offers relief for the muscles of the jaw and protection of the teeth from wear and breakage.
SomnoMed is an oral appliance, much like a sports mouthguard, that is a clinically-tested medical device designed to treat patients with sleeping disorders such as OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnoea). SomnoMed helps with symptoms related to sleep apnoea like bruxism (grinding of teeth), snoring and pain in the jaw joint (Temporomandibular or TMD pain).
