Occlusal Splints

Grinding and clenching is one of the most common and least noticed sources of dental damage. Most people who do it are entirely unaware, because it happens during sleep. The signs accumulate over years: worn enamel, chipped cusp tips, cracked teeth, morning jaw soreness, headaches on waking, and increasing fracture risk in back teeth that have already been restored. By the time patients notice, the damage is already significant. A custom occlusal splint protects your teeth at night from the wear that happens when you clench and grind. It does not stop the bruxism itself, as this is a normal neurological response, but it intercepts the damage pathway. Worn enamel does not grow back; protecting what remains is the whole point. We fabricate splints from digital scans or conventional impressions. The splint is fitted and then adjusted during a follow-up appointment, with particular attention to the way it sits in your bite. We adjust and refine over time as the appliance wears and as your bite changes. An occlusal splint for bruxism is a distinct device from a TMJ oral appliance, even though both are worn during sleep. TMJ appliances are designed with specific measurements to unload and protect the TMJ joints from further wear when sleeping. If you have both conditions, we address them with the appropriate appliances for each.