Bruxism common treatments:
For many years the only option to treat bruxism was the conventional mouth guard. Lately more new products are being introduced as bth4, Cerezen and BruxRelief to follow the SleepGuard headband!

​BTH4 mouth guard
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This device is intended to eliminate the patient habit of applying pressure by directing the force to cause immediate discomfort associated with bruxism, eliminating the undesirable action.  $350-$450
 
Pros
  • Main purpose is to eliminate the excessive jaw force applied.
  • Targets the elimination of the habit. 
  • It can benefit patients that suffer both sleep and awake bruxism by using it at night only since it trains the patient to avoid applying the excessive undesirable pressure.
  • When used correctly can help eliminate the conditions associated with bruxism (headaches, migraines, gum recession) allowing the patient a path to recovery.
Cons
  • Initial discomfort when applying pressure to the palate (when sensitivity increments the habit ceases)
  • Moderate discomfort associated with having a mouthguard.
  • Feedback can be painful.
  • Requires impressions.

Myostaeb EXPAIN change
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An aid that feeds back body functions and processes change the patient and user learn to deliberately influence and control their body functions with specific biofeedback exercises. This enables changes in behavior as well as the reduction of the individual stress threshold and the improvement of muscular functional patterns.

Pros
  • Innovative method to monitor bruxism activity (or other muscles) and provide feedback.​
  • Easy fitting.
Cons
  • Complex electronics, battery life.
  • Feedback not directly applied towards the action.

​AesyBite Active
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Innovative oral device emits a bio-feedback signal in the form of mild vibratory stimuli that restores sleep without disturbing the patient.

Pros
  • Innovative method to monitor bruxism activity and record it!!!
  • The device vibrates to provide feedback.
  • Very interesting approach of providing feedback to the exact location of the undesirable action. Pending to understand the response.
Cons
  • Complex electronics, batteries, etc.
  • Pending to verify short and long term term effectivity.

​Cerezen earplugs - No longer available for purchase
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Whilst wearing your Cerezen devices, every time your jaw moves, a subtle pressure is applied by the wearing of the devices against the walls of your ear canals, creating an awareness of jaw actions which contribute to TMD. US$1000 to $2000 depending in country and doctor. 
 
Pros
  • Device target is to train the user to avoid occlusion.
  • Probably the most comfortable option available.
  • When used correctly can help eliminate the conditions associated with bruxism (headaches, migraines, gum recession) allowing the patient a path to recovery.
Cons
  • It requires ear canal impression that need to be very precise.
  • Price is a little high.
  • Success rate is not as high according to reviews.
  • Complicated system that needs to sense if the user is applying pressure and provide feedback as pressure to the ear canal. The feedback is pressure to the ear canal. 

​SleepGuard - headband
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Biofeedback headband. It senses the activity in your jaw muscles and it activates an electronic beep intended to stop the undesirable action of applying pressure to the jaw. $300 - $500
 
Pros
  • It is focused in eliminating bruxism by using an electronic sound (beep) than increases the sound level when applying pressure to your teeth (jaw). Right approach!
  • No prescription required (one fits all).
  • If used correctly can reduce the conditions associated with bruxism (headaches, migraines, gum recession).
Cons
  • It can be more uncomfortable than conventional mouthguards (risk of removing it while sleeping), requires a little pressure in forehead.
  • It trains the patient with an electronic beep to stop applying pressure.
  • Frequent unintended activation.
  • Battery life (it needs to be ON for around 8 hours per day).

BruxRelief
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BruxRelief Biofeedback device uses muscle sensing technology to monitor when you are grinding your teeth. It then subtly alerts you with sound and vibration to unclench your jaw muscles and stop grinding. You are able to 'retrain your brain' to stop grinding by becoming more aware. 
Pros
  • It is focused in eliminating bruxism by using an electronic sound (beep) and vibration. Right approach!
  • No prescription required (one fits all).
  • If used correctly can reduce the conditions associated with bruxism (headaches, migraines, gum recession).
  • Connects to the phone
Cons
  • It can be more uncomfortable than conventional mouthguards (risk of removing it while sleeping), requires a little pressure in forehead.
  • It trains the patient with an electronic beep+vibration to stop applying pressure.
  • Frequent unintended activation.
  • Battery life (it needs to be ON for around 8 hours per day).
  • Very similar to the more mature headband mentioned above.

​aveoTSD
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​This device was created to prevent snoring. Since it "locks" the tongue outside of the mouth, it obstruct the jaw preventing bruxism.  ~US$16 (Walmart)

Pros
  • It effectively prevents any bruxism/clenching events since the tongue obstruct the jaw.
  • Low cost.
Cons
  • Uncomfortable (it is necessary to sleep with the tongue out!), not sure if is possible to sleep.
  • Breathing through the mouth is not possible.
  • Drastically affects the speech.

Aqualizer
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Interesting concept, it claims to be a self adjusting mouth guard.

Pros
  • Prevent teeth damage/wear.
  • It self-adjust preventing balance issue from left and right. 
  • According to the website it serves as a diagnostic tool .
  • Designed to evenly distribute the pressure.
  • About US$29 each. Great deal!
Cons
  • Will not prevent pressure application (symptoms as headaches, migraines, jaw pain, gum recession might continue to develop).
  • No evidence of reduction in clenching or grinding.
  • Interested to know how the oscillatory movements of bruxism work with this device.

​Splints / mouth guards (prescribed)
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​These devices are prescribed by the dentist or TMJ specialist. The design prevents teeth wear, other than that, no other benefits can be associated/proved.

Pros
  • Prevent teeth damage/wear.
Cons
  • Designed only to prevent teeth wear/damage (symptoms as headaches, migraines, jaw pain, gum recession continue to develop).
  • No evidence of reduction in clenching or grinding.
  • Price oscillate between $300 and $600
  • High price might be associated with the difficulty in fitting, this due to the small tolerances during manufacturing (the minimum change in bite causes extreme pain to the patient after one night). Multiple fitting iterations are often necessary.
  • Might aggravate the condition is not properly designed.

​Splints / mouth guards (over the counter)
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​Multiple brands available as: The Doctor's NightGuard, Dentek, SmartGuard, Plackers, Grind Guard and all kind of boil and fit options available online.
This product is very similar to the "prescribed" version but more uncomfortable. It targets the reduction of teeth wear and maybe noise reduction during sleep grinding.

Pros
  • Prevent teeth damage /wear
  • Multiple over the counter alternatives available
  • Low cost ($20 to $100)
  • No prescription necessary
Cons
  •  Designed only to prevent teeth wear/damage
  •  The multiple conditions and symptoms associated with grinding and clenching continue to develop as headaches, migraines, gum recession and jaw pain
  •  Very difficult to fit (a minimum difference in the bite could cause extreme pain), multiple adjustment might be necessary. Severe damage can be caused if incorrectly fitted.

​NTI / Grindguard
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​Device mounts in the upper or lower teeth preventing the molars from engaging. This device causes discomfort when applying pressure to it in the front of the jaw, which is expected to reduce bruxism.

Pros
  • Focuses the force into a smaller area causing discomfort to stop bruxism events.
  • Intended to change the habit.
Cons
  • Causes pain in the small area where the force is applied.
  • Pain in the focused teeth and sensation of "loose" teeth reported.
  • Can affect the bite (teeth displacement)
  • Uncomfortable as the mouth requires to be more open than with most of the other devices.
  • It can increment the jaw pain (does not prevent the excessive force applied by the jaw).
  • Choking hazard

Masseter Reduction
Surgical and ​Non-Surgical Masseter Reduction. Kind of similar to botox, where the debilitation of the muscle is the goal (a side benefit is a more trimmed, reshaped of lower face to the desired contours).

Pros
  • Similar to botox? Reduction of bruxism events by debilitating the jaw muscles

Cons
  • A weak jaw will reduce the bruxism events preventing the pressure application (right approach, but causes multiple other problems)
  • Side effects

​Taste feedback
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​Taste based feedback it is intended to provide feedback when the bruxism event is occurring by releasing different flavor to the mouth.

Pros
  • It is focused in eliminating bruxism, will alert the patient when bruxism occur.
  • Right approach (eliminate the habit).
Cons
  • Once is the taste bags release the flavor (feedback, as salt or pepper) it requires to be re-set.  With several occurrences per night this might not provide the feedback necessary even if the patient re-installs the bags each time.
  • During a bruxism event and subsequent bag rupture releasing the feedback flavor it has been reported that the patient might not react to the flavor.
  • Not commercially available.

​Botox
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​There are multiple claims of bruxism event reduction by the use of botox injected to the jaw muscles. The muscle is weakened enough to stop involuntary grinding/clenching.

Pros
  • Reduction of bruxism event by debilitating the jaw muscles

Cons
  • Temporary solution
  • A weak jaw will reduce the bruxism events preventing the pressure application (right approach, but causes multiple other problems)
  • Botox side effects (as allergic reactions, rash, itching, headaches, difficulty swallowing, nausea, diarrhea, others).

​Nose plug
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​By preventing the breathing through the nose the patient is forced to sleep with the mouth open.

Pros
  • Elimination of bruxism by forcing the patient to maintain an open conduct to breath.
Cons
  • Very uncomfortable (not sure if is possible to sleep).
  • Breathing to the mouth causes a dry mouth forcing the patient to frequently drink water and subsequent trips to the bathroom.
  • Difficulty in getting used to breathing through the mouth.

Sleep monitoring App - Do I Snore or Grind (and other options)
Multiple options are available using smartphones (tablets) to record your snoring and grinding sounds made during your sleep, you can listen to them next morning. You can choose if you want to record only snoring, grinding or both. The app filters and detect the teeth grinding and snoring sounds.
 
Pros
  • Great option to identify bruxism activity. 
Cons
  • Only helps to identify activity, will not reduce it.
  • Is vulnerable to smartphone reliability, noise, location.  

Intraoral electronic device
The device senses the activity and gives electrical shocks to the user as feedback to stop bruxism.
 
Pros
  • It is focused in eliminating bruxism with the right approach; by using an electrical shock when the undesirable condition occurs.
  • If used correctly can reduce the conditions associated with bruxism (headaches, migraines, gum recession).
Cons
  • Electronic components, battery will stay in the patient mouth for prolonged duration.
  • In addition to the custom made mouthguard the electronic components are attached, increasing the cost. 
  • The devices work as the BTH4 (mentioned above). The BTH4 does not require the complex electronics components.

Some of the Patent applications 

​Bruxism method and apparatus using electrical signals. US4934378 A
​ABSTRACT
The invention measures the electrical signals at the microvolt level emitted from the masseteric (jaw) muscle when bruxism occurs. The apparatus detects electrical signal impulses from electrodes on a transducer probe located within one of the patient's ear channels and transmits the detected signals to an amplifier. in one embodiment, a circuit converts the signal information into an audible tone. The tone provides the immediate knowledge of the bruxism which leads to controlling of the action. The apparatus may be worn inconspicuously during the day and without discomfort while asleep for sleep interruption feedback.
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Apparatus for treating bruxism. US 6638241 B2
Apparatus for the treatment of bruxism, including a biosensor adapted to sense a phenomenon associated with a bruxing event, and a relaxation stimulator in communication with the biosensor and adapted to provide a relaxation stimulus to relax at least one of an obruxism muscle and an obruxism nerve.


​• The information contained on this Web site does not constitute medical advice, nor is it a substitute for medical advice. Always consult with your doctor before starting any treatment.
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