Choosing the type
Most bruxism cases are handled with a full-coverage hard splint on one arch. Partial-coverage appliances risk over-eruption of uncovered teeth if worn long term, and soft guards can encourage clenching in some patients. The prescription should state the type, the arch and the intended thickness.
Thickness and retention
Typical occlusal thickness is 1.5-2.5 mm depending on the available vertical space and the patient's clenching force. Retention comes from a controlled undercut engagement — enough to stay in overnight, little enough that the patient can seat and remove it without stressing the material.
The occlusal scheme
A working splint has even contacts across all antagonist cusps and smooth anterior and canine guidance, so lateral movements disclude the posterior teeth. This is where a digitally designed splint saves chair time: the contacts are already balanced before printing.
Preparing for production
Undercuts are blocked out, the intaglio is offset for the resin's fit tolerance, and the margins are smoothed so no sharp edge irritates the gingiva. Printed splint resins and milled PMMA discs behave differently, so the offset should match the production route the lab uses.
- Full arch scan plus opposing arch and bite
- Arch, splint type and requested thickness stated
- Production method: printed resin or milled PMMA