Guide to NTI Appliances for Dentists

What Is an NTI Appliance?

An NTI appliance is a small dental device. It helps people who grind teeth at night. The full name is Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition. It fits on your front teeth. It is not big like other mouth guards.

![NTI appliance image showing small size compared to full mouth guard]

Why Dentists Like NTI Appliances

Dentists like NTI appliances for many reasons:

• They stop jaw pain
• They help headaches
• They are small and comfy
• Patients can talk better with them
• They work fast to stop pain
• They are easy to fit in your mouth

Who Should Get an NTI Appliance?

NTI works best for:

• People who grind teeth at night
• People with bad headaches
• People with jaw pain (TMD)
• People who want a small device
• People with healthy front teeth

Up to 70%-80% of people feel better after using an NTI appliance. This is good news for dentists who want to help patients with pain.

Who Should Not Get an NTI Appliance?

Some people should not use NTI:

• People with loose front teeth
• People with big spaces between teeth
• People who have an open bite (front teeth don’t touch)
• People with weak crowns on front teeth

About 12% of patients should not use NTI because of these problems.

How to Get Started with NTI Appliances

Here are steps to start using NTI in your dental office:

1. Check the patient’s bite first
2. Look at jaw muscles for pain
3. Take good impressions of teeth
4. Make a custom NTI that fits well
5. Check the fit in the patient’s mouth
6. Teach the patient how to use it

Using digital scans helps make better NTI appliances. About 89% of dentists say digital methods are faster than old ways.

Fitting the NTI Appliance

Follow these steps to fit the NTI:

1. Warm the NTI in hot water
2. Place it on front teeth
3. Ask patient to bite to make marks
4. Trim extra material for comfort
5. Polish edges to be smooth
6. Check that back teeth don’t touch when biting

![Step-by-step fitting process image]

Teaching Patients About NTI Care

Tell your patients these important things:

• Clean it each day with cool water
• Store it in a case when not using it
• Don’t use hot water – it can warp
• Come back for checks every 6 months
• Call if it feels loose or uncomfortable

About 65% of patients will use their NTI correctly if you teach them well.

Possible Problems with NTI Appliances

Some problems might happen:

• Open bite – teeth might move (15-20% risk)
• Sore teeth in the morning
• Hard to talk at first
• Appliance falls out during sleep
• Appliance breaks if patient has very strong bite

Checking Patients with NTI Appliances

See your patients regularly:

• First check: 1 week after starting
• Second check: 1 month after starting
• Regular checks: Every 6 months with cleaning

At each visit:

• Look at the bite for changes
• Check for tooth movement
• Ask about comfort and if it’s helping
• Look for wear on the appliance

Cost of NTI Appliances

The cost matters to dentists and patients:

• Lab fees: $200-$400 per NTI
• Your fee to patients: $400-$800
• Insurance code: D9944 for occlusal guard

Training your dental team for 3-5 hours can cut problems by 40%, saving money and time.

NTI vs. Other Night Guards

Here is how NTI compares to other mouth guards:

About 30% of patients who need help with grinding need a full guard instead of NTI if their grinding is very bad.

Making NTI Work in Your Practice

To add NTI to your dental practice:

1. Train your whole team about NTI benefits
2. Take before photos of worn teeth
3. Track patient pain levels before and after
4. Ask for reviews from happy patients
5. Offer a comfort guarantee to build trust

Digital Options for NTI

New technology helps with NTI:

• Digital scanning instead of messy impressions
• 3D printing of models for better fit
• CAD/CAM design for perfect appliances

Using these digital tools can make the process faster and better. Most dentists (89%) report better workflow with digital methods.

Other Treatments to Use with NTI

NTI works best when used with:

• Muscle relaxation exercises
• Stress management for patients
• Trigger point therapy for jaw muscles
• Custom Sports Mouth Guard for daytime teeth protection

Case Study: Patient Success with NTI

Maria’s Story: Maria had bad headaches every morning. She tried medicine but nothing helped. Her dentist made an NTI appliance. After two weeks, her headaches were 70% better. After two months, she rarely had headaches. The NTI was small, so she liked wearing it every night.

![Before and after images showing patient improvement]

When to Try Something Else

Sometimes NTI is not the best choice:

• If the patient has very severe grinding
• If the patient has sleep apnea too
• If the patient has an unstable bite
• If the patient needs a Custom Sleep Apnea Mouth Guard

In these cases, try:

• Full coverage night guard
• Sleep apnea device
• Bite adjustment
• Botox for jaw muscles

Questions Patients Ask About NTI

Here are common questions and answers:

Step-by-Step Guide for Dentists

Follow these steps for success:

1. Screen patients for grinding and TMD
2. Take photos of worn teeth
3. Make a custom NTI for each patient
4. Check the fit carefully
5. See the patient in 1 week to check comfort
6. Adjust as needed
7. Follow up every 6 months

Tips for Talking to Patients About NTI

Use these simple words when explaining NTI:

• “This small device fits on your front teeth.”
• “It helps relax your jaw muscles while you sleep.”
• “It can help stop morning headaches and jaw pain.”
• “It’s smaller than regular night guards.”
• “Most people see results within a few weeks.”

Summary

NTI appliances are a good tool for dentists. They help patients with grinding, TMD, and headaches. They are small and comfortable. Most patients (70-80%) feel better with NTI. There are some risks, like bite changes (15-20%), but regular check-ups can catch problems.

Adding NTI to your practice can help patients and grow your business. Just remember to:

• Choose the right patients
• Make a perfect fit
• Check often for problems
• Use digital tools when possible
• Offer the best care with Custom Dental Guard options

Next Steps for Dentists

Ready to start offering NTI appliances? Here are your next steps:

1. Get training on NTI fabrication
2. Order starter kits from suppliers
3. Practice on team members first
4. Identify patients who might benefit
5. Start with 5 cases to build experience
6. Track results carefully
7. Expand your NTI practice as you gain confidence

By following this guide, you can help many patients with pain and build your dental practice at the same time.