NTI Nightguard Appliance
NTI is an FDA approved night-time appliance used for patients who grind their teeth, and is especially helpful with those who suffer Migraine Headaches either as a result of the grinding, or due to neurologic events that are treated with the help of a physician.
What is the NTI Device?
The NTI appliance is a small device designed to help people who suffer with migraines and tension headaches. It’s quite small in size and because it’s secured to the teeth with acrylic, we find that patients are much more compliant in its use than with other, larger and more traditional devices. There are different designs of an NTI and, on occasion, two opposing devices will be required.
For many people, the muscles that are responsible for closing the jaw will spasm during night-time teeth grinding and cause pain in the head and neck region. The device is helpful in prevention of migraines and tension headaches as it minimizes clenching and bruxing intensity. As a clenching suppression system, the NTI appliance reduces clenching forces by 70%.
Does the NTI Appliance Work?
Yes! A recent study showed that 82% of migraine sufferers experienced a 77% reduction of migraines when using an NTI appliance.
Am I a candidate for an NTI Appliance?
We do a comprehensive evaluation of our potential NTI patients to make sure that they are a candidate for the device. For example, patients who brux will be asked some questions regarding their sleep in order to differentiate between isolated teeth grinding and that which is correlated to sleep disorders like sleep apnea.
Other questions about NTI
Q: Will the NTI device change my bite?
A: Permanent changes to the bite are not normally a significant risk due to the fact that teeth will contact during waking hours and will stimulate the encasing bone thus preventing and super eruption.
Q: I have a retainer for braces – will this device get in the way?
A: On occasion, if a patient is wearing orthodontic retainers, the NTI can replace one of the retainers.
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