Splint guide
Wearing and caring for your splint
Your splint is made to fit your teeth exactly. Here’s how to wear it, keep it clean, and what’s normal while you get used to it.
- WhenEvery nightUnless we’ve told you otherwise
- Getting used to itA few weeksMost people settle within a month
- Bring itEvery visitCheck-ups too, so we can check the fit
What you’ve been given
- Your splintCustom-made from a scan of your teeth — a hard Michigan splint, or a cushion splint if that’s what we chose together.
- A storage caseYour splint lives in here whenever it isn’t in your mouth.
Step by step
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Brush and floss before bed
Put your splint in over clean teeth. Anything left on your teeth sits against them under the splint all night.
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Press it into place with your fingers
Line it up over your teeth and press it on evenly, both sides at once, until it sits all the way home. It should feel snug.
Don’t bite it into place — biting can crack the splint or strain your jaw.
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Wear it while you sleep
Wear it every night unless we’ve told you otherwise. If we’ve asked you to wear it during the day as well while pain settles, take it out to eat, and to drink anything other than water.
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Take it out in the morning
Hook a fingertip over the edge beside your back teeth and ease it off one side, then the other. Don’t pull it off from the front or flick it out with your tongue.
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Brush it clean
Brush it inside and out with a soft toothbrush and cool water. Skip the toothpaste — it’s gritty enough to scratch the surface, and scratches hold stains and smells.
Never use hot water or the dishwasher. Heat can warp a splint so it no longer fits.
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Let it dry, then into its case
Let it air-dry and keep it in its case until bedtime, somewhere cool and up high where pets can’t reach it.
The first few weeks
A new splint takes a little getting used to. In the first few weeks it’s normal to notice:
- It feels tight on your teeth, especially the front ones.
- More saliva than usual for the first few nights.
- Teeth or jaw muscles a little tender in the morning.
- When you take it out, your bite feels “off” for a while. This settles within minutes to hours.
- Gagging, or trouble getting to sleep with it in at first.
To get used to it faster, wear it for an hour or two during the day for the first few days — while you’re reading or watching TV at home, say. Take it out to eat, and to drink anything other than water.
These ease as you get used to the splint — for most people, within about a month. If something isn’t settling, call us — often a small adjustment is all it needs. If the splint makes your jaw pain worse, stop wearing it and call us.
Adjustments and check-ups
Every splint needs a few adjustments. They’re part of the treatment, not a sign something’s wrong: each one fine-tunes how your teeth meet on the splint, so your jaw muscles and joints can settle further. We’ll let you know when to come back for your first review.
There’s a fee for the first adjustment only. Further adjustments in the 12 months after your splint is fitted are free.
Bring your splint to every dental appointment, check-ups included. A new filling or crown can change how it fits, and we’ll check it for wear while you’re here.
Day to day
Keep doing
- Wearing it every night, even when your jaw feels fine
- Brushing it every morning
- Keeping it in its case when it’s out
- Your jaw exercises, if we’ve given you some
Avoid
- Eating, or drinking anything but water, with it in
- Hot water, the dishwasher, or leaving it in a hot car
- Wrapping it in a tissue — it’s easily thrown away
- Leaving it where a dog can get to it — they love to chew them
- Trimming or adjusting it yourself
Common questions
Do I really need to wear it every night?
Usually, yes. Grinding and clenching come and go without warning, and the splint only protects your teeth on the nights it’s in. If you’re wearing it for jaw pain, we may suggest wearing it only during flare-ups once things settle — we’ll tell you if that applies to you.
Will it stop me grinding?
No. It’s designed to protect your teeth and take load off your jaw muscles and joints, but it doesn’t stop the habit itself. Our jaw pain page covers the other things that help.
It’s cracked or feels loose — what should I do?
Stop wearing it and call us, and bring it in even if it’s broken. A cracked splint can have sharp edges, and one that no longer fits properly can let your teeth move.
How long will it last?
Many splints last several years. If you grind hard you may wear through one sooner — that’s the splint taking the damage instead of your teeth. We check it at your check-ups and tell you when it’s getting thin.
How do I keep it fresh?
Brushing it every morning does most of the work. Once a week you can also soak it in a denture or retainer cleaning tablet, following the packet directions. Avoid bleach, mouthwash and boiling water.
These steps follow the care instructions in our splint consent form and were reviewed by Dr Immanuel Puvanendiran, AHPRA reg. DEN0001316655. If your dentist has given you different instructions, follow those. More about teeth grinding splints at Southside Dental Toowoomba.