Grindcare In The News
Tiny electric shock that will stop you grinding your teeth
By David Hurst
You might feel a slight buzz: New technology will help prevent bruxism
Plagued by headaches? A stiff neck? Receding gums? You could be one of the millions who grind their teeth at night. Earlier this month, dentists reported that as a result of recession-related stress even more people are affected - in some areas, there has been a 20 per cent rise in the number of sufferers. Now Danish scientists have devised a novel way of treating teeth-grinding (or bruxism) using an iPod-sized device that delivers an electric shock to the temples. Clinical studies show it reduces teeth-grinding by more than 50 per cent within just three weeks and 80 per cent after six to eight weeks.
With an estimated one in four adults affected, bruxism is a common problem - it's the most frequent sleep disorder after insomnia and snoring. The pressure on the teeth during grinding or clenching can be 20 times greater than the force used in normal chewing. This can wear down enamel and break teeth, as well as causing symptoms from migraine to earache, gum disorders and sleep problems, including daytime fatigue. It often occurs as a result of changes in the normal structure of the mouth - such as missing teeth, a new filling or an abnormal bite known as malocclusion (where the upper and lower teeth do not sit together properly). But more commonly, bruxism is related to anxiety. Smokers are five times more likely to have episodes of bruxism.
The disorder is also associated with pregnancy and the menopause.Whether the cause is physiological or psychological, the effect is the same: tension in the temple muscles, leading to teeth grinding and clenching. 'It's vastly stress related,' says Dr Barry Oulton, of Haslemere Dental Centre in Surrey. 'If someone comes to me about teeth grinding, the first thing I do is check around their temples for the temporalis muscles to assess their tension levels.' Traditional treatments for bruxism include sedatives, hypnosis, herbal remedies and, more recently, Botox; these all aim to relax the jaw by releasing tension. Another option is to wear a mouthguard to act as a buffer between the teeth. Pain: Sufferers of Bruxism have to deal with headaches and neck troublesThe new approach, Grindcare, consists of a small electrode that is attached to the skin of the temple with sticky gel pads. The other end of the electrode is connected to a matchbox sized unit attached to the bed clothes or on a “quick release” cord worn around the neck.
The device monitors the movement of facial muscles, reading the electrical signals that cause the muscles to contract. When it detects this is about to happen, it delivers a small electrical impulse to relax the muscle instead, in turn relaxing the jaw muscles. This impulse is not usually felt by the wearer. The device also records how many times this occurs in the night. 'Grindcare works by retraining the muscles to relax,' says Dr Oulton, one of the first dentists in Britain to use the device. 'In effect, it teaches someone to stop grinding their teeth, so it can reduce or even cure the problem.' Most people wear the device every night for up to eight weeks, then around once a week until the temporalis muscles are retrained not to tense.
One person who has tried the new treatment is Jason Foster, a 40-year-old technician from Little Chalfont, Bucks. He'd suffered from daily headaches since the age of 11, though the cause - malocclusion - wasn't identified until he was 18. He describes the pain as a 'constant nagging ache right in the front of the forehead'. Jason had tried mouthguards, but found them too uncomfortable or he chewed right through them. 'I'd also tried different painkillers, but they didn't work and I wasn't keen on taking them because I knew they were bad for my body all round. So I just tried to get by without. 'But it was difficult because the headaches were worse whenever I had to concentrate. It was hard to drive or even sometimes to talk.' Then, last July, he started treatment with Grindcare. 'From almost the first time I wore it, my headaches disappeared, overnight,' he says. 'And when I wear it I don't feel anything at all, even though early on the device was going off up to 220 times a night to stop my temple muscle from clenching.' Jason is not cured - he still experiences around 80 episodes a night - so has to continue to wear the device. 'As my grinding is due to malocclusion and not the more common cause of tension, it might be that I have to keep wearing it, though probably less frequently,' he says. 'But at least I don't get headaches any more. I also find I sleep better and wake up feeling energised.'
The treatment is not cheap - a four-week Grindcare loan trial costs £120. After this, patients can buy one of the devices for £850 (this compares with a decent mouthguard, which costs £300 to £400). Jason, who has since bought the device, says: 'It's definitely been money well spent. After all, it's stopped the headaches I suffered from for nearly 30 years.' Commenting on the new treatment, Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, says the trials of the device showed 'promising results'.
See the article online: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1256440/Tiny-electric-shock-stop-grinding-teeth.html#ixzz0iGrgTQIj
Article also published in “Daily Mail” Tuesday 9th March 2010
Patients complaining of grinding their teeth in their sleep are being given mild electric impulse treatment. 
A chain of private dental practices, James Hull & Associates in Hull are trialling a device which delivers a tiny electrical impulse when it detects grinding is about to begin.
Teeth grinding - or bruxism - is a common and destructive habit induced by stress.
It can, however, cause headaches and stiff necks, as well as irritating a sleeping partner.
Dr David Vivian - NewcastleJames Hull Assoc - Cottingham (also Dovetail Dental-Newcastle)
We are hoping that this biofeedback device will help to break the loop of fitful sleeping, and the psychological and physical problems which grinding can create 
Dr Vivian and Dr Wain of Dovetail Dental Newcastle have become pioneers of the New Bio-feedback device in the UK and have become the second GRINDCARE Centre. The new practice in Newcastle are incorporating GRINDCARE into their treatments. Their dedicated team of Nurses and Treatment Co-ordinators are the key to the success of delivering GRINDCARE diagnostics and treatment to their patients. For more information about the Dovetail Dental Clinic visit www.dovetaildental.co.uk
S4S (UK) Ltd are exclusively supplying GRINDCARE in the UK, Matt Everatt, Technical Director says:
We are delighted with the initial success of GRINDCARE in the UK and are very pleased that our UK Dentists are embracing this new technology for treating this terrible disease - Bruxism. As a personal sufferer, I have had many years of destructive tooth grinding that is now needing serious dental treatment to repair the loss of enamel!
Dr Barry Oulton - Haslemere Dental Centre, Surrey, was the first UK GRINDCARE centre. Dr Oulton and his staff have a combined approach to their treatment of Bruxism, working very closely with Pysiotherapists, Chiropractors and Headache clinics. S4S (UK) Ltd will be supporting Dr Oulton througout 2010, as he plans to present to his Dental colleagues on this subject. He will speak on how he has incorporated both GRINDCARE and NTI-tss splint technology in his everyday dentistry. For more information about Dr Oultons practice in Surrey www.somethingtosmileabout.co.uk
GRINDCARE in the News http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8355737.stm
GRINDCARE UK LAUNCH BDTA 2009 - Birmingham NEC
S4S (UK) Ltd officially announced the arrival of GRINDCARE into the UK. Neil Bullement - Commercial Director commented on the massive interest and the positive response the UK dentists had toward the New EMG Bio-feedback device. Over the 3 days at the NEC our stand was visited by over 200 dentists and DCP's at times we were so busy we were unable to demonstrate to all the visitors. We were so pleased with the feedback from our Professional colleagues, and are so proud to be able to say that we are the ones that have introduced this Hi-tech product into the UK to help sufferers of Bruxism. We are very pleased with our Danish friends Medotech for developing such a fantastic device and supporting us with introducing it into the UK. Medotech are the manufacturers of GRINDCARE. http://medotech.dk/en/
