RELAXATION SPLINTS – Zirkonlab

A relaxation splint is an individually designed transparent splint, based on the impression of the upper or bottom dental arch. It is applied with patients with the exaggerated muscle-nervous tension.

THE PURPOSE AND THE APPLICATION

It has both preventive and healing application, above all at persons with the clamp trouble and those suffering from bruxism. The splint reduces the muscle tone allowing to avoid the pain of jaws and articulations, stiffness of the neck, oversensitivity of teeth and different kinds of headache. Apart from reducing headache, the neck and jaws pain , it is possible to expect also an improvement of the quality of the sleep and a greater relaxation of the muscles.

What is bruxism ?

Bruxism is a habit which affects about 10% of the population. Generally it is characterized by teeth abrasion and clenching the jaw. This causes the wear and tear and damage to teeth, disturbing the temporal- mandibular articulation, and a headache. Bruxism most often appears in the age group of 25-44 but it also may to appear at children. People sometimes gnash their teeth without no manifestations or problems. However regular and long-lasting bruxism can cause pain and discomfort in the jaw. Majority of cases of gnashing off of teeth (close the 80%) appear unwittingly during sleep. It is usually connected with fear and the stress accompanying us in life. Bruxism also influences people, not only during the sleep. People are clenching teeth and the jaw, but don't gnash them. The majority of people do it subconsciously, if they are intensely concentrated on some task.

Effects of the bruxism

There exist numerous effects/consequences of bruxism. Some of these adverse reactions are short-lived and disappear when bruxism stops. Unfortunately some of them are long-term or even long-lasting.

Short-term effects of the bruxism

- headache (the person affected with bruxism is three times more exposed to headaches) - facial pains (pains of the jaw and muscles of the face) - earaches - tension/stiffness of shoulders - limiting opening of the oral cavity - sleeping disorder - exaggerated moving of teeth - disturbing the dream of the partner because of the noise - inflammatory condition of gums and the recession

Long-term effects of the bruxism

- dysfunction of the mandibular articulation (Costen's syndrome) - abrasion of teeth off and breaking

How I can prevent gnashing of my teeth?

Relaxation splints and the hypnosis are only tested procedures for bruxism. Even though there are many other treatments proposed, for the purpose of lowering of effects of bruxism, splints and the hypnosis have their scientifically confirmed action. Individual relaxation splints are little plastic covers of the oral cavity which are directly applied to teeth. Thanks to the impression they are fitted to teeth of the patient. Relaxation splints turned out to be most effective in the protection of teeth in the premature wear and tear, for reducing the activity of muscles of the jaw and the noise of teeth undergoing abrasion. It means that the patient does not have to worry about destroying his teeth, and during the sleep noise won't be disturbing the partner.