What is Bruxism ?
Bruxism is the word dentists generally use to refer to all forms of clenching and grinding of teeth. Bruxism usually occurs subconsciously, and can occur while a person is awake or asleep. Bruxism is much more common for people under stress than for people not under stress. For people who's bruxism primarily takes the form of grinding, tooth wear will often be visible to dentists. People who's bruxism primarily takes the form of clenching may not have visible symptoms, but may experience pain in the form of sore or sensitive teeth, jaw ache, facial muscle or nerve pain, migraine headaches, dizziness, neck pain, and back pain. Bruxism during sleep often keeps people from getting enough REM sleep (the time of sleep when muscles rejuvenate), and resulting symptoms can include tiredness and susceptibility to muscle cramps and spasms.

Is the SleepGuard headband safe to use?
Absolutely safe.  The gentle SleepTone biofeedback helps guide you to eliminate subconscious clenching. The SleepGuard biofeedback headband is powered by two watch batteries and is electromagnetically shielded to avoid any negative effect on your body's energy field.

Will it disrupt my sleep?
The SleepTone biofeedback only happens briefly when you start clenching, and stops as soon as you stop.  Stopping the grinding activity lets you get into REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, and once you are in REM sleep all clenching and grinding stops. For these reasons, many users report better sleep with the SleepGuard biofeedback headband than without!

Will my partner be disturbed by the sound?
Many users report that even in the rare instances when their partner hears sound from the SleepGuard headband, it is far less disturbing than the sound of grinding teeth they want to stop hearing!  SleepGuard's SleepTone biofeedback is designed to be as quiet and confidential as possible, and you can adjust the volume.  Users have not reported complaints from their partners.

How long should I wear the SleepGuard biofeedback headband before seeing an improvement?
Some people respond very quickly, while others may see a more gradual improvement over time.  You will be able to judge your personal response to the SleepGuard biofeedback headband in less than 30 days. Each morning you can check the digital display on the SleepGuard biofeedback headband and see how many times you clenched your teeth, and for how long.  This allows you to track your improvement.

Can I still use a mouth guard?
If you want to continue to use a mouth guard to protect your teeth, particularly when you first start using your SleepGuard headband, you may do so. Many users use the SleepGuard biofeedback headband instead of a mouth guard, but there is no problem using the two together.

Do I have to wear the headband every night?
Some users report that using the SleepGuard biofeedback headband allows them to train themselves out of grinding for periods of time. Clenching and grinding is often tension related. We recommend that users wear the SleepGuard biofeedback headband each night for a while.  However, once you've reduced your grinding you may choose to use your SleepGuard biofeedback headband less frequently.

Can I wear the SleepGuard headband during the day?
Yes.  Many people also clench or grind unconsciously (for example, when they are driving or at work), so there can also be a benefit to wearing it at those times as well.

How It Works

How does it work?
The SleepGuard biofeedback headband senses tiny electrical signals that your muscles generate when you clench or grind. Even though these muscle signals are only about one millionth of the voltage of a flashlight battery, the SleepGuard biofeedback headband can sense these signals reliably.

Is there any kind of clenching or grinding that the SleepGuard headband does not sense?
If you are one of a small percentage of clenchers and grinders who click only their front teeth together when clenching or grinding, the SleepGuard headband may not properly sense your grinding.   As long as your clenching or grinding involves contact between your back teeth, the SleepGuard headband can sense this activity.

I have a very small / very large head.  Will it fit me?
The SleepGuard headband is designed to work on the full range of adult head sizes, but may not fit younger children well.

How much does it weigh?
The headband with electronic module and batteries weighs only 1.8 oz.!

Can I use the SleepGuard headband on my child?
The SleepGuard biofeedback headband is designed to fit adults, but children's heads may be too small for proper alignment of the sensor pads. We recommend that you consult your dentist if you want to use the SleepGuard biofeedback headband on a child.

Clinical

Is a prescription required?
No, the SleepGuard biofeedback headband is a measurement and awareness device intended for relaxation and muscle reeducation.  No other use or indication is claimed or intended.  It is not considered a medical device because it does not do anything to you directly, it gives you conscious and subconscious awareness so you can change your own behavior.

Has there been a clinical trial?
Dr. Gordon Christensen, a renowned dentist, reviews dental products and publishes a newsletter of his findings.  In his Clinical Research Associates Newsletter, Volume 25, Issue 10, October 2001, it was found that the majority of patients that tested SleepGuard saw a reduction of clenching and grinding activity.

In an extensive article in the Journal of the Massachusetts Dental Society in January, 2003, Dr. Herbert Bader, a Lecturer at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, reported: "Anecdotal case reports from dispensing practitioners indicate that adding the SleepGuard biofeedback headband to treatment plans has proven extremely successful."

What other clinical data do you have on this?
We use a methodology that has been studied extensively by Dr. Alan Glaros of the University of Missouri Kansas City and shown to be effective.  You can look up some of his work on the web.

The continued study of bruxism and TMJ has been hampered by the cost of EMG measurement equipment and inconvenience of sleep labs.  We are hopeful that the SleepGuard biofeedback headband will eventually contribute to a better understanding of these ailments, and we encourage our customers to keep daily data that may be useful some day.

Is this covered by health insurance?
Holistic Technologies is unaware of a category for the SleepGuard headband within any healthcare plan coverage.  There is a possibility that your plan may cover it as a muscle sensing and/or retraining device.

Batteries

Does the SleepGuard headband come with batteries?
Yes, the headband comes with two sets of CR2032 lithium 3V coin cell batteries.

Where can I buy replacement batteries?
Typically any drug store or local Radio Shack carries these common batteries.  Radio Shack sells CR2032 batteries for about $5 each. We think this price is way too high, so we sell replacements batteries for $1 each.

How long do the batteries last?
Batteries last for roughly 320 hours of activity, or 40 nights of 8 full hours of sleep.
 

Headband

What is the headband made of?
The fabric part of the headband is cotton terrycloth on the outside, and a polyester blend on the inside.

What are sensor pads made of?
The sensor pads are made of hypoallergenic silicone rubber with suspended carbon.

Will these hurt my skin or cause a rash?
No.  These materials were specifically selected because they do not react with the skin.

Are there any allergy problems?
The center contact is stainless steel.  For the vast majority of people, stainless steel is considered hypoallergenic. In rare cases, some people can have an allergic reaction to stainless steel after they have had piercings on their body. No SleepGuard customers have yet reported any allergic reaction.