MiSplint® 5D: Custom Splints For Grinding And Clenching

Probably not. A splint is there to take the force of grinding and clenching off your teeth and dental work, not to switch the habit off. It helps protect teeth from wear and chipping while the grinding goes on.

Grinding has several possible triggers. Stress, poor sleep and certain medicines are among them (healthdirect, teeth grinding), so we ask about all three. A splint doesn’t change those causes, and it isn’t a treatment for snoring or sleep apnoea. It can protect new crowns or veneers once they’re fitted, and it can be adjusted as your teeth or dental work change.

Some people notice they grind less with a splint, and some don’t. We can’t promise either. What we can do is check wear, chips and jaw comfort at your reviews, and tell you if the pattern changes or if someone else should look at it. If your splint becomes painful, damaged or loose, bring it in rather than adjusting it yourself. Our five stages are Diagnose, Design, Detail, Deliver and Defend.

• healthdirect (Australian Government). Teeth grinding (bruxism)

Not reliably. Jaw pain has many causes, and a splint helps some people but it isn’t a cure. We check your jaw joints and muscles, and we’ll say if you need someone else to assess it, such as your GP or another health professional.

Grinding and clenching can strain the jaw (healthdirect, teeth grinding), so a splint may take some load off the teeth and joint. It doesn’t treat other causes of jaw pain, and a sore jaw on waking has more than one possible explanation. Describe when it hurts, what makes it worse and whether you have clicking, headaches or trouble opening wide.

Tell us if jaw pain is severe, follows an injury, comes with swelling or fever, or stops you opening your mouth, and phone us promptly. If a splint is suggested, we’ll explain what it can and can’t do, what it costs and what to do if it becomes uncomfortable. Pain that gets worse with the splint is a reason to bring it in. We can’t promise it will ease your pain.

• healthdirect (Australian Government). Teeth grinding (bruxism)

Sometimes. Stress and poor sleep are both linked with grinding, and grinding during sleep has been linked with other sleep disorders, sleep apnoea among them (healthdirect, teeth grinding). Snoring or waking tired is worth mentioning, so we can think about your sleep as well as your teeth.

A dentist can’t diagnose sleep apnoea. A doctor does, usually after a sleep study (healthdirect, obstructive sleep apnoea). If you snore loudly, stop breathing, gasp awake or feel sleepy through the day, tell your GP. We’ll suggest it too if the signs fit.

A grinding splint doesn’t treat sleep apnoea, and a sleep appliance doesn’t protect teeth the way a splint does. If you have both problems, your doctor and dentist can talk through which device fits which job. We ask about your sleep before suggesting either one. Our Dental Sleep Medicine page explains how we work with your doctor, and what each device does and doesn’t do.

• healthdirect (Australian Government). Teeth grinding (bruxism)
• healthdirect (Australian Government). Obstructive sleep apnoea

In time, perhaps. Wear, damage or new dental work can change how a splint fits, so bring it along to reviews. A splint that no longer fits well or has worn through isn’t protecting your teeth.

We check the fit, how it grips, how smooth it is and where your teeth meet it. A new crown, filling, veneer or other dental work can change your bite, so the splint may need adjusting or remaking. We also look at your teeth and dental work for wear. How long a splint lasts depends on how hard you grind, the material and how you look after it.

Clean and store it the way you’re shown when it’s delivered, and don’t adjust it yourself. If it cracks, feels different or becomes loose, phone us. The Defend stage includes a review of wear, fit and bite, and again after any change to your dental work. We’ll tell you the cost of a replacement before it’s made, and your fund can tell you what your policy pays.

No. They are different devices with different jobs. A grinding splint such as MiSplint® 5D helps protect teeth and dental work from grinding forces. A sleep appliance brings the lower jaw forward so the airway stays more open at night (Ramar et al., 2015).

A splint doesn’t treat snoring or sleep apnoea, and it doesn’t stop grinding. A sleep appliance isn’t designed to protect teeth, and it doesn’t replace a medical diagnosis: a doctor diagnoses sleep apnoea first. Grinding and sleep problems can overlap (healthdirect, teeth grinding), which is why we ask about your sleep before suggesting either.

If you snore, wake unrefreshed or have been told you stop breathing, tell your GP. We can explain what the dental options are once your doctor is involved. Our Dental Sleep Medicine page covers oral appliances, CPAP and how we work alongside your doctor. If you only grind, a splint may be all you need, and we’ll tell you honestly if it isn’t.

• healthdirect (Australian Government). Teeth grinding (bruxism)
• Ramar K, et al. Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring with oral appliance therapy: an update for 2015. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2015. PubMed 26094920

It depends on your policy, and we can’t promise a rebate. Some funds list splints as their own item in extras, usually with a waiting period and an annual limit. Ask your fund which item applies and what you’d have left to pay.

A splint isn’t an orthodontic item, so don’t assume orthodontic cover applies. Medicare doesn’t cover most dental services. Ask us for the item number on your quote, and for a written estimate, so your fund can tell you exactly what it covers. We quote after assessment, because the type of splint depends on what we find.

We can claim eligible items on the spot through HICAPS with participating funds, but eligibility is for your fund to decide. A replacement splint may be claimed differently from the first one, because limits and waiting periods can apply to it too, so ask before you start. We’ll explain the cost of each stage before treatment begins, as we do for every service we offer.