ORTHOPEDIC SPLINTS
Most dental offices make mouthguards for their patients. We do not. We make orthopedic splints for nighttime use, or OSNUs. What is the difference? A mouth guard does only that – it guards the mouth or, more specifically, the teeth from damage at night. An orthopedic splint, on the other hand, protects the teeth and the muscles and the nerves and the joint – the entire chewing system - at night while you sleep, as well as discouraging the grinding tendency. How does it do this? The OSNU is customized for both the teeth it covers (usually the upper teeth) and the teeth that bite into it. It is a surrogate interface that allow the upper and lower teeth to come together and move about in agreement with the muscles and joint. Without this level of sophistication, your splint becomes a mere guard, which typically functions like a chew-toy. If you have a mouthguard but have a difficult time or cannot use it, then it is likely because it does not agree with your joint and muscles. You need an OSNU.
