NTI-TSS System

A dentist fits the N.T.I. Tension Suppression System as a part of cosmetic dentistry. The N.T.I. Tension Suppression System is a pre-fabricated poly-carbonate matrix and it is completely different from any other type of mouthpiece. It is a plastic device and people wear it over the front teeth while they are sleeping. Also, it is extremely small. The use of NTI can effectively reduce the clenching intensity by 66% and it is even possible to make a custom NIT oral appliance in a short visit. The use of NTI reduces the clenching intensity and as a result, the pains associated with clenching begin to disappear.

The NIT offers a number of benefits as it relieve a person from –

• Morning headache
• Daytime headache
• Migraine
• Jaw joint pain
• During-the-night headache
• Chronic sore neck
• Tooth wear and breaking
• Face and sinus pain

Also, the NTI device has been successfully tested with thousands of patients. The NTI treatment received the approval from the FDA in 1998 for preventing grinding, tension-type headaches and clenching. It also received the approval for preventing migraines in 2001. So, it is an efficient treatment.

Here is a small description on how does it work-

The chronic symptoms of the head and also of the neck are attributed to:

• Sinus pressure, pain and the lateral pterygoid muscle
• Headache and the temporalis muscle
• Neck stiffness, pain and the trapezius

The contraction of the lateral pterygoid moves the jaw sideways and in a situation where the temporalis contracts simultaneously, it is the intensity of the temporalis contraction which dictates the degree of resistance encountered by the lateral pterygoid when it try to move the jaw sideways. Also, the lateral pterygoids work hard whenever the intensity of temporalis contraction increases thereby creating the symptoms where the muscles are attached and obligate the trapezius to maintain a tightened posture. When there is an exclusive temporalis contraction, sinus and the jaw point are less strained and so, the resultant temporalis pain is considerable. Also, tension-type headache patients who do not suffer from jaw disorder clench their jaw 14 times more intensely while they are sleeping than the asymptomatic controls. A traditional mouthpiece considerably reduces the resistance to side-to-side movement and so, the strain to the sinus and jaw joint is reduced to a considerable amount. Also, an object placed on the front teeth reduces the intensity of the temporalis contraction by 66%.

AMPS stands for “Anterior Midline Point Stop” and AMPS with some modification can successfully control the intensity of the temporalis contraction and so, it can prevent some serious issues like chronic headache, TMJ problems, stiff neck and sore neck.

The N.T.I. Tension Suppression System is indicated in the conditions where treatment requires any combination of –

• Reduced joint strain
• Musculoskeletally stable condylar orientation
• Protection of tooth
• Reduction of intensity and normalization of trigeminally innervated musculature

The only way in which the adverse joint strain are generated in an individual or to maintain a less than optimal condylar orientation is to achieve certain degree of tension and occluding of the cocaine or posterior teeth causes this tension. Therefore, the occluding of the cocaine and posterior teeth during a parafunctional event should be prevented. The lateral pterygoid is the only one which has a direct effect on the TMJ and in order to create a strain, the LP must encounter some resistance to its contraction and the resistance is provided by the occluded teeth. The teeth which are being occluded and the intensity of the LP’s contraction determine the degree of the strain. Also, the intensity of the temporalis jaw elevation determines the degree of the resistance encountered by the LP.

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