An Alternative Approach for Reducing Complicated Symptoms Related to Nonfunctional Tooth Contact: A Case Report

The various symptoms related to nonfunctional tooth contact can be reduced by focusing on avoiding excessive contact. Although patients make a conscious effort to keep their teeth apart after receiving advice from their dentists, this approach may not work in some patients. For such patients, we propose an alternative approach that involves unilateral intraoral application of a small device onto the maxillary premolars. The device, which has a thickness of 1.0–1.5 mm, inhibits inadvertent tooth contact by maintaining a space between the device and the opposing teeth. It is advisable to wear the device throughout the daytime, except while eating and drinking. The actual duration for which the device is worn during the day is considered as the amount of time the teeth are kept apart. Device breakage or tooth pain upon wearing the device indicates unconscious biting on the device. In the case presented herein, the proposed alternative approach considerably reduced tooth complications and masticatory muscle pain, as opposed to patient education, which was ineffective when employed alone. There has been no recurrence of severe symptoms during the last two years. Since there is the potential for swallowing the device and tooth intrusion/extrusion with long-term use of the device, this approach should be considered temporarily until reduction of symptoms. Use of this approach requires a thorough understanding about the principles of its use among the patients and a good rapport between the dentist and the patient.