NTI

Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition Tension Suppression System (= NTI or NTIss), in German: „Schmerzhemmendes trigeminales Hemmungs- und Unterdrückungssystem“. It’s an occlusal splint with contact to several front teeth and not very different from the common splints. Teeth grinders who grind away on their splints benefit from NTI, because the pain stimulus given by NTI inhibits the masseter activity and leads to a pain reduction and relaxation of the muscles. Well performed studies have shown that NTI functions perfectly, but any other occlusal splint without any splendid name does the same. We’ve had a lot of fuss about NTI already, but its concept is neither groundbreaking nor can it solve all the problems up to migraine. The disadvantage of NTI like of all other frontal splints is the risk of changing tooth position in the sense of opening the bite. That’s the reason why patients with NTI need consequent controlling.