The Rubber Bite Cushion Appliance

is a thin and inexpensive rubber shell that has been molded on a model of your teeth so it fits closely over them.  Because it does not impact speech, it can be worn all day except when eating.  However, it should not be used during sleep, because it evokes chewing activity.  It makes people clench or grind even more than normal, usually accompanied by dreams of eating.  It is usually used in conjunction with a hard plastic appliance worn over the upper teeth during sleep. 

This appliance works by damping impacts from teeth crashing together. Teeth are jagged rocks, and their collisions create shock waves that can be jarring to a neuromusculature already sensitized by chronic pain. The rubber bite cushion appliance softens bite impacts by covering the lower teeth with a continuous layer of rubber.  The effect is like rubberizing the track that you run on. For people who often clench during certain activities, such as working out or driving, this cushioning protects the teeth and the muscles.

THICKNESS of the rubber can vary from ½ mm to 3 mm. Usually a 1 mm thick version provides adequate cushioning without affecting speech at all.  Thicker ones are more protective and more bulky.  The rubber is strong enough to be very durable.  Even stepping on it will not destroy it.

COST, when we already have high quality impressions for making another appliance, is $300. If new impressions are needed, there will be a cost for that as well.