The NTI Appliance -What Is It For, Why Would I Want One?
This information brought to you from my treatment assistant, Karen
Lower NTI in occlusion (bite) with upper central incisors. Other teeth cannot touch with the NTI in position.
Lower NTI . This device can be made on either arch depending on the patient’s occlusion and preference.
The NTI – a very special splint!
The small NTI appliance can become stained after years of use.
Do you suffer from headaches, clench or grind your teeth at night, wake up with sore jaw muscles? If so we can make you an appliance in our office called a Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibitiion Tension Suppression System or as we call it in our office a NTI. A NTI is a small acrylic device that Dr. Gillis makes in our office that is custom fit onto two to four front teeth. The NTI can be made for either upper or lower teeth to be worn at night while you are asleep. Or we can also make one for daytime if needed. The nice thing about an NTI is since it is made and fitted to your teeth the day of your appointment in our office, you get to take it home the same day.
The inside view of two NTI appliances – one old, one newer! You can see where the teeth fit into the appliance
The NTI suppresses the muscles used to clench the teeth together. This not only alleviates the pain associated with this type of habit and also protects the teeth from continued wear and possible fractures. The NTI works because with the appliance in place none of the teeth can touch. Since you cannot contact the teeth there is no clenching which keeps the muscles from becoming fatigued from constant and usually intense contraction. If you feel like you could benefit from an NTI or have any questions or dental concerns please call our Grand Junction office at 970-242-3635. We would love for you to find our office on Facebook and Like us!
The patient wearing an NTI appliance.
Close of of mouth closed with an NTI in place.
Lower NTI contacts the upper central incisors.
Your friend in your oral health care,
Karen