NTI Tension Suppression System

The Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition Tension Suppression System (or NTI-TSS) is a type of occlusal splint that is claimed to prevent headache and migraine by reducing sleep bruxism (night-time tooth clenching and grinding). This often intense nocturnal activity is purported to lead to a hyperactivity of the trigeminal nerve, often triggering typical migraine events. The objective of the NTI is to relax the muscles involved in clenching and mastication, thus diminishing the chances for migraines and tension headaches to develop. It is sometimes used for temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD).
The NTI is a small transparent plastic device which is, in its most widely used form, worn over the two front teeth at night to prevent contact of the canines and molars. It is normally fitted by a dentist trained in the technique.
Evidence and safety
As the NTI-TSS does not cover all of the teeth, it is classed as a partial coverage occlusal splint. Partial coverage splints are recommended by some experts, but they have the potential to cause unwanted tooth movements, which rarely can be severe. The mechanism of this tooth movement is that the splint effectively holds some teeth out of contact and puts all the force of the bite onto the teeth which the splint covers. This can cause the covered teeth to be intruded, and those that are not covered to over-erupt. I.e. a partial coverage splint can act as a Dahl appliance, which covers the upper front teeth only. Due to the risks involved with long term use, some discourage the use of any type of partial coverage splint.

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