What kind of splint do you use for temporarily relieving muscle pain?

• A. Hawley splint
• B. Sports guard
• C. Bite plate
• D. NTI splint

Answer: (D)

The best choice for temporarily relieving muscle pain is a splint that specifically reduces jaw muscle activity by altering occlusion and proprioceptive input. The NTI splint does this by allowing contact only on the anterior teeth, which eliminates most posterior tooth contacts. This change lowers the sensory signals that drive clenching and tightening of the masseter and temporalis muscles, leading to a rapid decrease in muscle hyperactivity and tenderness. It’s designed for short-term, symptom-driven relief, and it’s typically easier for patients to wear for quick relief compared with full-arch stabilization splints. In contrast, a Hawley splint focuses on longer-term stabilization and joint alignment, a sports guard is aimed at protection during activity, and a bite plate isn’t as specifically targeted to diminish muscle activity. So for immediate, temporary muscle pain relief, the NTI splint is the most appropriate choice.