How to custom adjust a hard acrylic diagnostic or therapeutic dental bite splint using a leaf gauge

How to custom adjust a hard acrylic diagnostic or therapeutic dental bite splint using a leaf gauge to guide the patient into their Centric Relation arc of Temporo Mandibular Joint (TMJ) rotation.

This video assumes you are a dentist and familiar with the use of dental facebows and articulators for lab fabrication of Tanner (Lower Jaw) or Michigan (Upper Jaw) style full arch coverage hard acrylic bite splints.

In this video you'll see Dr Raj Ahlowalia use a leaf gauge and articulating marker ribbon to custom balance a splint and create a smooth anterior guidance with no posterior interferences for a bruxist.

However it should be noted this method may also be used even if you are unfamiliar with facebows and articulators. A 2mm thick acrylic overlayed splint can usually be custom adjusted with a leaf gauge exactly the same way, it will just take a lot longer as the laboratory will not be able to create in advance a preliminary occlusion that closely approximates to the patients own.

Such a 'bite splint' can be both protective against the detrimental effects of bruxism or clenching habits, therapeutic for the symptoms of TMD & Headaches and diagnostic for the design of new occlusions for either future dental equilibration or restorative dentistry.

Ultimately for occlusal stability the function on the surface of the splint should be smooth, balanced and free of obvious interferences. A splint like this can be customised for either anterior group function or posterior group function. The same principles of smoothness, balance and lack of 'obvious' interferences remains for both.

Dr Raj Ahlowalia is a general dentist based in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, a rural town in the countryside north of London, England. He was the feature dental surgeon on the TV show 'Extreme Makeover UK' and is now a visiting faculty instructor of Comprehensive, Multi-Disciplinary, Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry & Occlusion at both the Pankey Institute in Florida and the Spear Education Center in Arizona. He also lectures on Implantology & Cerec CAD-CAM technology and runs study groups for general dentists all over the world.

Visit Dr Raj Ahlowalia's website at www.thechrysalis.co.uk

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Dentistry
• Occlusion
• TMD
• TMJ
• Bite Splints
• Teeth
• Dental Pain
• Headaches
• Leaf Gauge