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MIGRAINE
PREVENTION - HEADACHE PREVENTION
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Clenching
your teeth during the day or at night can cause headaches and migraines.
The NTI Tension Suppression System is dental device that can help stop
headaches, sore jaws, stiff necks, and sensitive teeth. It is a
prefabricated polycarbonate device that a dental practitioner retrofits to
the patient's teeth to reduce intensity of involuntary clenching at night
while you are asleep. The NTI device may eliminate the need for
prescription and over the counter pain medications that you take for
morning headache, sore neck, sore jaws, and related pain associated with
involuntary clenching of the teeth.
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What
is it?
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It
is a tiny, clear-plastic device that fits over your top two front teeth. You
only wear the NTI while you sleep at night. It makes clenching
virtually impossible. In a few days or weeks, your clenching reflex is
suppressed. Morning headache pain, neck pain, sore jaws and other related
pain associated with involuntary intense clenching usually begins to resolve
and disappear. It is different from traditional splints and nightguard
devices in that it prevents your back teeth from clenching intensely and
coming into contact with each other.
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What
does clenching my teeth have to do with these problems?
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The
high-intensity contractions of these powerful muscles become painful and
the forces generated cause pain to surrounding tissues, joints and other
muscles. By reducing the intensity of the clenching, you're effectively
minimizing the source of the pain - in many cases, in just few days.
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A)
Headache - temporalis muscle (it closes and clenches the jaw)
B) Sinus pressure and pain - lateral pterygoid muscles (it moves
the jaw side to side and/or forward)
C) Neck stiffness and pain - trapezius muscle (it stabilizes the
skull during jaw clenching and grinding)
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Has
this treatment been tested?
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Yes.
It has been used successfully with thousands of patients in the United
States and many other countries. It has received marketing allowance from
the FDA and complies with all requirements as an approved dental device.
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What
can we do to help?
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In
one office visit we can create a custom-made NTI-tss.
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When
can I expect relief?
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Within
a few hours to a few weeks; it all depends. Many patients report
significant relief overnight, others usually within a month. Your
highly trained clenching muscles have to un-learn their intense activity,
and the time it takes to accomplish this varies from patient to
patient.
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Does
insurance cover the cost?
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Usually
dental or medical insurance plans will help pay for the service, but all
plans are different. The same dental insurance codes for mouthpieces,
splints, and TMD devices all apply to the NTI-tss. FDA 510(k) approval for
the prevention of medically diagnosed migraine pain has qualified the NTI as
being reimbursable by most medical insurances.
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Are
there age restrictions for treatment with NTI-tss?
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While
we have certainly heard parents complain of a very young child who grinds
their teeth while sleeping, the Standard NTI-tss device is best suited for
permanent teeth. However, for children without permanent teeth who are
symptomatic resulting from muscular parafunction, a custom NTI-tss type
device can be fabricated.
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Isn’t
it too small and easily dislodged?
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No,
the NTI device is retro-fitted over un-prepared teeth with cold-cure
acrylic. The practitioner must relieve the internals to provide for a
snap-in fit, without strain or pressure on the teeth. The patient must make
a dedicated effort to remove the device. If the patient is able to remove
the device without using their hands, then it should be re-lined or/and made
to fit additional lateral teeth for added retention.
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