Your TMJ, jaw muscles and teeth are the three things that determine how you bite. A change or discrepancy in one will affect the other two. A bite irregularity can lead to problems:

• TMJ: joint pain, clicking, popping, grating noises
• Muscle Soreness in isolated or large areas of your face
• Teeth: Increased incidence of broken fillings and teeth, sensitive teeth ... among other things.

It's like having bad posture or high blood pressure. A lot of people don't realize they are living with it until a health care provider advises you, or until a catastrophic event happens.

More information on this topic can be found on this headache prevention website .  

There are two ways that determine how you bite. One is the TMJ joint and associated muscles and the other is how your teeth fit together. If you have inflammation or structural changes in your TMJ, your bite will be affected. If you have crooked teeth, this will also affect your bite. Your muscles often try to compensate for these changes my trying to find a stable resting spot when you close your mouth - sometimes, this leads to grinding. Clenching is often the result of stress and can be addressed to come degree by behavior modification.

An uneven and unstable bite often compromises the dental work done in your mouth. An uneven bite may be due to orthodontic problems, uneven wear of teeth and/or dental restorations (filling, crown, etc.), habitual clenching or grinding or teeth, unprotected nighttime clenching or grinding, injury, or dental restorations which are uneven or poorly aligned. An unstable bite should be corrected as much as possible before the process of dental restoration can be completed. Unfortunately, the vast majority of patients are unaware of or dismissive of how this problem can impact their dental health. In some instances of recent dental work, patients may experience an exacerbation of an uneven bite; this usually happens more in patients who clench or grind their teeth. If you have experienced this situation, please speak candidly to your dental provider about the issue so he or she can properly address it. 

One of the ways to determine whether you have been grinding is to check the lower front teeth. Generally, the more drastic the color change as you move from the outside of the tooth to the center, the more the tooth has been worn down because of grinding. Continued wear of teeth like this can result in fracturing of teeth, root canals, damage to your TMJ and very costly treatment. This is easy to prevent!

The NTI is a simple and effective appliance developed by Dr. James Boyd which can prevent the problems described above. These pictures are from the website http://www.nti-tss.com/. For severe cases, a daytime device is also available. Feel free to click on the link for more information!

Information Regarding the Use and Care of You Device and Device Holder

Warning: If the device becomes loose or if you can remove it with your tongue by applying any amount of pressure to it, discontinue use immediately and call us for a refitting. Under no circumstances should you attempy to alter the device.

• We have fitted you with a device to suppress jaw muscle contraction (i.e. clenching and grinding). In addition to the written and verbal instructions that we give to you, please review the information in this section of the website. If you have any questions at all regarding the use and care of your NTI, call us immediately.
• If you are under the care of a physician, check with the physician to determine if such a device is contraindicated because of illness or medication that you may be taking.
• Advise us of any allergies you might have or develop. Also, advise us of any surgery or other possible reason to expect an obstruction if the device should be accidentally ingested, which would interefere with it's elimination.
• Call us immediately if you experience anything unusual regarding your teeth, gums, tongue, or mouth or your symptoms.
• The device should fit securely, but without applying undue force or pressure to an individual tooth. Call us for a refitting if you feel continuous pressure or strain on a tooth during device use.
• If you should awaken after properly inserting the device and find the device somewhere other than in your mouth in its original position, sit up or stand upright to insert it and confirm it cannot be removed by applying pressure to it with your tongue. IF YOU CAN REMOVE IT WITH YOUR TONGUE BY APPLYING PRESSURE OR IF THE DEVICE DOES NOT LOCK INTO PLACE WITH A SNAP, DISCONTINUE USE AND RETURN TO US FOR REFITTING.
• Discontinue use if you are ill, have a cold, flu, or other illness, which could cause dislodgement of the device.
• NEVER drink anything without removing the device.
• NEVER attempt to wear this device while you eat or chew anything.
• NEVER insert or remove th device while lying on your back. Insert or remove the device only when standing or sitting upright.
• Do not attempt to insert or use the device if you are intoxicated or taking prescription, over the counter drungs and/or any other drugs which make you drowsy or would impair you from inserting the device correctly. Check with your doctor if you are taking any such prescription, over the counter and/or any other drug.
• If your device should chip or crack, or if its condition changes in any way or appears to change in any way, discontinue use immediately and call your dentist to repair it.
• If you see any unusual wear in the device such as a groove in the lower bump, call us to repair it. Also continue to check for sharp edges, points or cracks and advise us immediately so the device can be fixed.
• If you have any dental work or procedure (at our office or elsewhere when on vacation) done on your teeth after receiving your device, have us or the dentist performing the treatment to insure proper fit following the work and procedure.
• Always bring your device with you during your regular dental checkup so we can examine it for fit or need for repairs, adjustments or refabrication.
• When not in use, always place the device in the device container provided.
• The device was custom fit for your use only. Do not give the device to another person for use.
• Keep the device away from children and pets.

Care of Your Device and Device Holder

• Always brush and floss your teeth before use, if possible. Trapping food debris and plaque under the device is unhealthy.
• Wear nightly and/or daily as instructed by us.
• Clean your device after each time you wear it. To clean, rinse with cool water and brush with soft brush. (DO NOT USE HOT OR BOILING WATER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES - THIS MAY ALTER YOUR DEVICE AND ALTER THE PROPER FIT). Mouhwash (Listerine, Cepacol or non-alcohol types) is non-abrasive and effective for cleaning your device. HOWEVER, DO NOT SOAK YOUR DEVICE IN MOUTHWASH FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OR TIME. DO NOT USE TOOTHPASTE. Denture cleaner (Polident or Efferdent0 loosens plaque and helps prevent staining if used to soak your device in addition to brushing. Rinse your device well to avoid building up a residue of cleaning agents or oral plaque.
• Keep the appliance in the box provided. Clean this box periodocally in warm soapy water to prevent bacterial or fungal growth.
• Please call us if any problems develop, such as sore spots, sensitive teeth, or sore jaw muscles. Do not attempt to file or alter the device in any way. All such adjustments should be made by a dentist.