This is an odd request, but this forum has come up with amazing
solutions to odd requests so many times...

I have fairly severe bruxism (teeth grinding). I've fractured several
teeth over the years. My previous dentist gave me a standard mouth
guard. I continued to fracture teeth. My current dentist recommended a
device called an "NTI-TSS" (nociceptive trigeminal inhibitor tension
suppression system). It's a tiny mouth guard that fits over just the
front teeth. The theory is that the front teeth resist clenching whereas
the back teeth are triggerred to clench when they sense something to
chew (biting vs chewing).

http://www.kellerlab.com/115/products/nti-tss-plus.php

In any case, my NTI is starting to exhibit an unpleasant odor. I think
the problem is that it has developed some tiny cracks between the hard
outer shell that stop the clenching and the inner, softer material that
fits snugly around the teeth. These cracks are now serving as breeding
grounds for bacteria. This problem didn't occur for the first several
years I had the device, which is why I think it is related to a
deterioration of the seal.

I've tried soaking it in alcohol and various antibacterial rinses. This
cures the problem for a few days. I would like a more permanent
solution.

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the whole
device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep into all of
the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting back in there. I'd
soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply the seal.

Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
This is an odd request, but this forum has come up with amazing
solutions to odd requests so many times...

I have fairly severe bruxism (teeth grinding). I've fractured several
teeth over the years. My previous dentist gave me a standard mouth
guard. I continued to fracture teeth. My current dentist recommended a
device called an "NTI-TSS" (nociceptive trigeminal inhibitor tension
suppression system). It's a tiny mouth guard that fits over just the
front teeth. The theory is that the front teeth resist clenching whereas
the back teeth are triggerred to clench when they sense something to
chew (biting vs chewing).

http://www.kellerlab.com/115/products/nti-tss-plus.php

In any case, my NTI is starting to exhibit an unpleasant odor. I think
the problem is that it has developed some tiny cracks between the hard
outer shell that stop the clenching and the inner, softer material that
fits snugly around the teeth. These cracks are now serving as breeding
grounds for bacteria. This problem didn't occur for the first several
years I had the device, which is why I think it is related to a
deterioration of the seal.

I've tried soaking it in alcohol and various antibacterial rinses. This
cures the problem for a few days. I would like a more permanent
solution.

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the whole
device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep into all of
the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting back in there. I'd
soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply the seal.

Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Since you use it only at night, why not soak it in an alcohol mouth wash
during the day?

--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeros after @

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:36:34 -0700, willshak wrote:

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
This is an odd request, but this forum has come up with amazing
solutions to odd requests so many times...
I have fairly severe bruxism (teeth grinding). I've fractured several
teeth over the years. My previous dentist gave me a standard mouth
guard. I continued to fracture teeth. My current dentist recommended a
device called an "NTI-TSS" (nociceptive trigeminal inhibitor tension
suppression system). It's a tiny mouth guard that fits over just the
front teeth. The theory is that the front teeth resist clenching whereas
the back teeth are triggerred to clench when they sense something to
chew (biting vs chewing).
http://www.kellerlab.com/115/products/nti-tss-plus.php
In any case, my NTI is starting to exhibit an unpleasant odor. I think
the problem is that it has developed some tiny cracks between the hard
outer shell that stop the clenching and the inner, softer material that
fits snugly around the teeth. These cracks are now serving as breeding
grounds for bacteria. This problem didn't occur for the first several
years I had the device, which is why I think it is related to a
deterioration of the seal.
I've tried soaking it in alcohol and various antibacterial rinses. This
cures the problem for a few days. I would like a more permanent
solution.
Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole
device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep into all of
the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting back in there. I'd
soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply the seal.
Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.
If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500,
so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.
Thanks for any suggestions.

Since you use it only at night, why not soak it in an alcohol mouth wash
during the day?


Good suggestion. I'd recommend soaking in 'digestible' alcohol like
EverClear 190 proof. That way the residu will NOT harm you. But soaking in
alcohol is likely to destroy the plastics. Causes 'crazing' at the surface.

There is a 'commercically' available epoxy like goo that is used in the
Electronic industry to encapsulate 'anything' for implanting inside the
human body.

Sorry, don't remember the name but it sounds exactly like what you
describe. Look under FDA approved Medical Electronics encapsulation
products.

Be sure to 'sterilize' as much as possible the item before encapsulating
though. bleach kills EVERYTHING - bacteria, mold, virii; and now Clorox
has some strange wetting agent added to their bleach.

On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 10:17:40 AM UTC-4, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

You said the first one lasted "several years." For the sake of argument let's say the device lasted 5 years. That's $100/year, or about 27 cents per day to save you THOUSANDS of dollars on cosmetic dentistry.

Seems like a wise investment to me.

There is nothing you can soak this in that will permanently stop the bacteria growth, especially now that the bacteria have presumably gained a proverbial foothold down deep in the presumably porous foam core of the device.

There is nothing durable you can paint on this device that will not be poisonous to you, either.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:17:40 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote in
Re How to seal a mouth
guard?:

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

You could try one of these

http://www.bing.com/shopping/title-b...eces&FORM=HURE

They are a lot cheaper than what the quacks try to sell you, so you
don't have much too lose and you do have a lot to gain.
--
Web based forums are like subscribing to 10 different newspapers
and having to visit 10 different news stands to pickup each one.
Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
newspapers delivered to your door every morning.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 10:36:34 -0400, willshak
wrote:

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the whole
device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep into all of
the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting back in there. I'd
soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply the seal.

Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.

Since you use it only at night, why not soak it in an alcohol mouth wash
during the day?

I tried that and it mostly works, but it's messy and inconvenient. It
also tastes bad. And I think I remember asking the dentist about it and
was told that alcohol is not good for the plastic. I also tried soaking
it in a dental antibacterial rinse. Still messy.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:59:06 -0700, RobertMacy
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:36:34 -0700, willshak wrote:

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole
device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep into all of
the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting back in there. I'd
soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply the seal.
Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.
If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500,
so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.
Thanks for any suggestions.

Since you use it only at night, why not soak it in an alcohol mouth wash
during the day?


Good suggestion. I'd recommend soaking in 'digestible' alcohol like
EverClear 190 proof. That way the residu will NOT harm you. But soaking in
alcohol is likely to destroy the plastics. Causes 'crazing' at the surface.

There is a 'commercically' available epoxy like goo that is used in the
Electronic industry to encapsulate 'anything' for implanting inside the
human body.

Sorry, don't remember the name but it sounds exactly like what you
describe. Look under FDA approved Medical Electronics encapsulation
products.

I don't want to "encapsulate" it, just seal it. The inside of the device
fits tightly over the front teeth. Anything that is more than a seal and
it won't fit any more.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 10:37:38 -0500, CRNG
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:17:40 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote in
Re How to seal a mouth
guard?:

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

You could try one of these

http://www.bing.com/shopping/title-b...eces&FORM=HURE

They are a lot cheaper than what the quacks try to sell you, so you
don't have much too lose and you do have a lot to gain.

Those are standard mouth guards. As I said in my original post, they
don't work for me. The "theory" is that they actually cause the rear
teeth to clench more.

Jennifer Murphy wrote:

This is an odd request, but this forum has come up with amazing
solutions to odd requests so many times...

I have fairly severe bruxism (teeth grinding). I've fractured several
teeth over the years. My previous dentist gave me a standard mouth
guard. I continued to fracture teeth. My current dentist recommended a
device called an "NTI-TSS" (nociceptive trigeminal inhibitor tension
suppression system). It's a tiny mouth guard that fits over just the
front teeth. The theory is that the front teeth resist clenching
whereas the back teeth are triggerred to clench when they sense
something to chew (biting vs chewing).

http://www.kellerlab.com/115/products/nti-tss-plus.php

In any case, my NTI is starting to exhibit an unpleasant odor. I think
the problem is that it has developed some tiny cracks between the hard
outer shell that stop the clenching and the inner, softer material
that fits snugly around the teeth. These cracks are now serving as
breeding grounds for bacteria. This problem didn't occur for the
first several years I had the device, which is why I think it is
related to a deterioration of the seal.

I've tried soaking it in alcohol and various antibacterial rinses.
This cures the problem for a few days. I would like a more permanent
solution.

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep
into all of the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting
back in there. I'd soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply
the seal.

Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500,
so if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I don't have an answer for you but this website may be useful in how to
keep the thing clean.
http://www.ehow.com/way_5665486_home...outhguard.html

On 9/17/2013 10:17 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
This is an odd request, but this forum has come up with amazing
solutions to odd requests so many times...

I have fairly severe bruxism (teeth grinding). I've fractured several
teeth over the years. My previous dentist gave me a standard mouth
guard. I continued to fracture teeth. My current dentist recommended a
device called an "NTI-TSS" (nociceptive trigeminal inhibitor tension
suppression system). It's a tiny mouth guard that fits over just the
front teeth. The theory is that the front teeth resist clenching whereas
the back teeth are triggerred to clench when they sense something to
chew (biting vs chewing).

http://www.kellerlab.com/115/products/nti-tss-plus.php

In any case, my NTI is starting to exhibit an unpleasant odor. I think
the problem is that it has developed some tiny cracks between the hard
outer shell that stop the clenching and the inner, softer material that
fits snugly around the teeth. These cracks are now serving as breeding
grounds for bacteria. This problem didn't occur for the first several
years I had the device, which is why I think it is related to a
deterioration of the seal.

I've tried soaking it in alcohol and various antibacterial rinses. This
cures the problem for a few days. I would like a more permanent
solution.

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the whole
device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep into all of
the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting back in there. I'd
soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply the seal.

Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.


Have you asked the dentist? Tried denture cleaning tablets?

On 9/17/2013 8:57 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 10:37:38 -0500, CRNG
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:17:40 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote in
Re How to seal a mouth
guard?:

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

You could try one of these

http://www.bing.com/shopping/title-b...eces&FORM=HURE

They are a lot cheaper than what the quacks try to sell you, so you
don't have much too lose and you do have a lot to gain.

Those are standard mouth guards. As I said in my original post, they
don't work for me. The "theory" is that they actually cause the rear
teeth to clench more.


Can you just cut off the back end so they don't touch the rear teeth?

Can they stand heat? Bacteria doesn't like boiling water.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 10:18:20 -0700, mike wrote:

On 9/17/2013 8:57 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 10:37:38 -0500, CRNG
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:17:40 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote in
Re How to seal a mouth
guard?:

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

You could try one of these

http://www.bing.com/shopping/title-b...eces&FORM=HURE

They are a lot cheaper than what the quacks try to sell you, so you
don't have much too lose and you do have a lot to gain.

Those are standard mouth guards. As I said in my original post, they
don't work for me. The "theory" is that they actually cause the rear
teeth to clench more.


Can you just cut off the back end so they don't touch the rear teeth?

The problem there is that it won't stay put. Also, it it's too small,
there's a risk of aspirating it. The NTI grabs the teeth very tightly to
avoid those problems.

Can they stand heat? Bacteria doesn't like boiling water.

No, I was specifically told not to boil it or even wash it in very hot
water. I might have violated that last part a time or two, which could
be part of the reason that it has become degraded.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 16:07:33 +0000 (UTC), "badgolferman"
wrote:

Jennifer Murphy wrote:

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep
into all of the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting
back in there. I'd soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply
the seal.

Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500,
so if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I don't have an answer for you but this website may be useful in how to
keep the thing clean.
http://www.ehow.com/way_5665486_home...outhguard.html

Interesting suggestions. I'll give them a try. I've tried rinsing it
each morning in alcohol and a dental rinse without success. I think the
little buggers have gotten a foothold (do they have feet?) and unless I
get it sealed, nothing will work because of the environment it is in 8
hours a day.

Thanks

On 9/17/2013 10:42 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 16:07:33 +0000 (UTC), "badgolferman"
wrote:

Jennifer Murphy wrote:

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep
into all of the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting
back in there. I'd soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply
the seal.

Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500,
so if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I don't have an answer for you but this website may be useful in how to
keep the thing clean.
http://www.ehow.com/way_5665486_home...outhguard.html

Interesting suggestions. I'll give them a try. I've tried rinsing it
each morning in alcohol and a dental rinse without success. I think the
little buggers have gotten a foothold (do they have feet?) and unless I
get it sealed, nothing will work because of the environment it is in 8
hours a day.

Thanks

I don't think rinsing it will help the critters deep in the cracks.
You gotta get the killer down where they are.

I'd try putting it in a bath of the strongest disinfectant you think
it will stand and pulling a vacuum on it with a seal-a-meal or some
such to suck the air out of the cracks to let the killer in when
you remove the vacuum.

You can even "boil" the liquid out of the cracks at relatively low
temperature, but you'll need a better vacuum than you can get out
of a kitchen appliance.

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
This is an odd request, but this forum has come up with amazing
solutions to odd requests so many times...

I have fairly severe bruxism (teeth grinding). . . . ,
http://www.kellerlab.com/115/products/nti-tss-plus.php

In any case, my NTI is starting to exhibit an unpleasant odor. . . ,

I've tried soaking it in alcohol and various antibacterial rinses.
This cures the problem for a few days. I would like a more permanent
solution.

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole device?

I doubt that any type of sealant would work, and I would be concerned about
using any type of sealant on a device that you keep in your mouth overnight.

I first tried going to the company website, and then tried doing a Google
search for:
-- nti-tss plus cleaning --

Looks like any alcohol-based cleaning is a bad idea. One source suggested
maybe dilute vinegar would help once in a while -- for build-up of deposits,
I think.

But, here's what I found overall:
http://www.kellerlab.com/154/index/sonic-cleaner.php



http://www.smileshop.com/orstore/pro...Retainer-Brite



http://www.kellerlab.com/tinymce/fil...s%20Manual.pdf



Each morning, clean the appliance thoroughly with cool, not hot, water, and
brush with regular toothpaste. Do not put it in the

dishwasher or microwave! Once in a while you may have to soak it for a half
hour in diluted white vinegar if crusty deposits are starting to develop.
Soak, then brush.



What is the NTI-tss Plus made of?
The NTI-tss Plus is made from a safe, clear, plastic that is non-absorbent
and will not stain. The plastics are non-allergenic, and can be easily
cleaned with a toothbrush or safe, non-alcoholic cleanser.

What is it made of?

The NTI-tss Plus is made of a safe, clear, hard

thermoplastic material. It's non-porous so it

won't stain or absorb odors. It's non-allergenic.

And easy to care for. simply clean with a

Sonic Cleaner or rinse with water or alcohol-free

solution.


Good luck.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 11:13:51 -0700, mike wrote:

On 9/17/2013 10:42 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 16:07:33 +0000 (UTC), "badgolferman"
wrote:

Jennifer Murphy wrote:

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep
into all of the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting
back in there. I'd soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply
the seal.

I don't have an answer for you but this website may be useful in how to
keep the thing clean.
http://www.ehow.com/way_5665486_home...outhguard.html

Interesting suggestions. I'll give them a try. I've tried rinsing it
each morning in alcohol and a dental rinse without success. I think the
little buggers have gotten a foothold (do they have feet?) and unless I
get it sealed, nothing will work because of the environment it is in 8
hours a day.

Thanks

I don't think rinsing it will help the critters deep in the cracks.
You gotta get the killer down where they are.

Why wouldn't the rinse penetrate every crack? Surely rinse molecules and
smaller than bacteria?

I'd try putting it in a bath of the strongest disinfectant you think
it will stand and pulling a vacuum on it with a seal-a-meal or some
such to suck the air out of the cracks to let the killer in when
you remove the vacuum.

Are you saying there's some effect like surface tension or something
that traps tiny air bubbles deep in the cracks and prevents the rinse
from getting everywhere?

You can even "boil" the liquid out of the cracks at relatively low
temperature, but you'll need a better vacuum than you can get out
of a kitchen appliance.

If that's what it takes, I'll just get a new device. ;-) But it would be
a fun science experiment. So many interesting projects, so little time.

"Jennifer Murphy" wrote in message
...

Why wouldn't the rinse penetrate every crack? Surely rinse molecules and
smaller than bacteria?

There are so many dentistry schools in the USA, many with
people trying to earn tenure through research, that you could
probably locate someone investigating mouth guards for
bruxism, and she might know the answers to most questions.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 14:58:45 -0400, "TomR" wrote:

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
This is an odd request, but this forum has come up with amazing
solutions to odd requests so many times...

I have fairly severe bruxism (teeth grinding). . . . ,
http://www.kellerlab.com/115/products/nti-tss-plus.php

In any case, my NTI is starting to exhibit an unpleasant odor. . . ,

I've tried soaking it in alcohol and various antibacterial rinses.
This cures the problem for a few days. I would like a more permanent
solution.

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole device?

I doubt that any type of sealant would work, and I would be concerned about
using any type of sealant on a device that you keep in your mouth overnight.

That's what I was afraid of. I wouldn't use any kind of oil-based
sealant, such as is used on decks, but I was hoping there might be some
kind of plastic sealant that dries to a hard, non-porous finish. I think
any kind of epoxy would be too thick.

I first tried going to the company website, and then tried doing a Google
search for:
-- nti-tss plus cleaning --

Looks like any alcohol-based cleaning is a bad idea. One source suggested
maybe dilute vinegar would help once in a while -- for build-up of deposits,
I think.

But, here's what I found overall:
http://www.kellerlab.com/154/index/sonic-cleaner.php

http://www.smileshop.com/orstore/pro...Retainer-Brite

http://www.kellerlab.com/tinymce/fil...s%20Manual.pdf

Each morning, clean the appliance thoroughly with cool, not hot, water, and
brush with regular toothpaste. Do not put it in the dishwasher or microwave!

I've done that for years. It's not working anymore.

Once in a while you may have to soak it for a half
hour in diluted white vinegar if crusty deposits are starting to develop.
Soak, then brush.

I don't see any "crusty" deposits. It is somewhat stained
(yellowish-brown, like coffee-stained teeth).

What is the NTI-tss Plus made of?
The NTI-tss Plus is made from a safe, clear, plastic that is non-absorbent
and will not stain. The plastics are non-allergenic, and can be easily
cleaned with a toothbrush or safe, non-alcoholic cleanser.

The "will not stain" part is not true.

What is it made of?

The NTI-tss Plus is made of a safe, clear, hard

thermoplastic material. It's non-porous so it

won't stain or absorb odors. It's non-allergenic.

The "won't stain or absorb odors" is not true. Well, I don't know if the
odors were "absorbed" or generated natively. ;-)

And easy to care for. simply clean with a

Sonic Cleaner or rinse with water or alcohol-free

solution.

I've had it cleaned a few times by the dentist using their sonic
cleaner. Didn;t make much difference as far as I could tell.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 08:47:11 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:59:06 -0700, RobertMacy
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:36:34 -0700, willshak wrote:

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole
device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep into all of
the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting back in there. I'd
soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply the seal.
Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.
If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500,
so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.
Thanks for any suggestions.

Since you use it only at night, why not soak it in an alcohol mouth wash
during the day?


Good suggestion. I'd recommend soaking in 'digestible' alcohol like
EverClear 190 proof. That way the residu will NOT harm you. But soaking in
alcohol is likely to destroy the plastics. Causes 'crazing' at the surface.

There is a 'commercically' available epoxy like goo that is used in the
Electronic industry to encapsulate 'anything' for implanting inside the
human body.

Sorry, don't remember the name but it sounds exactly like what you
describe. Look under FDA approved Medical Electronics encapsulation
products.

I don't want to "encapsulate" it, just seal it. The inside of the device
fits tightly over the front teeth. Anything that is more than a seal and
it won't fit any more.

I thought he meant to just push the stuff in the cracks, or wherever
you planned to put it.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 10:26:15 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 10:18:20 -0700, mike wrote:

On 9/17/2013 8:57 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 10:37:38 -0500, CRNG
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:17:40 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote in
Re How to seal a mouth
guard?:

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

You could try one of these

http://www.bing.com/shopping/title-b...eces&FORM=HURE

They are a lot cheaper than what the quacks try to sell you, so you
don't have much too lose and you do have a lot to gain.

Those are standard mouth guards. As I said in my original post, they
don't work for me. The "theory" is that they actually cause the rear
teeth to clench more.


Can you just cut off the back end so they don't touch the rear teeth?

The problem there is that it won't stay put. Also, it it's too small,
there's a risk of aspirating it. The NTI grabs the teeth very tightly to
avoid those problems.

I don't know about the ones in the URL above, but FTR when I
anticipated a fight, a mugging by someone I knew, I bought a mouth
guard meant for football players iirc.

I followed the instructions and heated it in very hot or boiling
water, waited the amount of time it said, then bit down on it to make
it mold to my teeth. And it did.

The guy never tried to fight me. I don't remember how tight it was
and I can't check because my teeth have moved around a bit.

In the store they only had one size, but on the web they probably have
enough sizes to fit anyone.

(I remmeber now. I had one that was meant to move my teeth into
position when I was 13 years old, the last step in having braces (at
the time. I think different methods are used now.) . It worked too
and I still have it 50 years later, but it wouldn't fit my mouth even
30 years ago, so I had to buy the other one.

Can they stand heat? Bacteria doesn't like boiling water.

No, I was specifically told not to boil it or even wash it in very hot
water. I might have violated that last part a time or two, which could
be part of the reason that it has become degraded.

On 9/17/2013 12:08 PM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 11:13:51 -0700, mike wrote:

On 9/17/2013 10:42 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 16:07:33 +0000 (UTC), "badgolferman"
wrote:

Jennifer Murphy wrote:

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep
into all of the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting
back in there. I'd soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply
the seal.

I don't have an answer for you but this website may be useful in how to
keep the thing clean.
http://www.ehow.com/way_5665486_home...outhguard.html

Interesting suggestions. I'll give them a try. I've tried rinsing it
each morning in alcohol and a dental rinse without success. I think the
little buggers have gotten a foothold (do they have feet?) and unless I
get it sealed, nothing will work because of the environment it is in 8
hours a day.

Thanks

I don't think rinsing it will help the critters deep in the cracks.
You gotta get the killer down where they are.

Why wouldn't the rinse penetrate every crack? Surely rinse molecules and
smaller than bacteria?

I can't tell how big the cracks are, but if they're small, it's not about
molecular size, it's about surface tension. A small amount of air
can completely prevent liquid from entering a crack.
The vacuum removes the air so the liquid gets sucked into the crack
when you remove the vacuum. You can do a similar thing with pressure
overcoming the resistance of the air pocket.
A more difficult problem is the mouth slime that's in there.
Maybe hit it with high pressure air to drive out some of the slime
before the vacuum.

I'd try putting it in a bath of the strongest disinfectant you think
it will stand and pulling a vacuum on it with a seal-a-meal or some
such to suck the air out of the cracks to let the killer in when
you remove the vacuum.

Are you saying there's some effect like surface tension or something
that traps tiny air bubbles deep in the cracks and prevents the rinse
from getting everywhere?

You can even "boil" the liquid out of the cracks at relatively low
temperature, but you'll need a better vacuum than you can get out
of a kitchen appliance.

If that's what it takes, I'll just get a new device. ;-) But it would be
a fun science experiment. So many interesting projects, so little time.

I haven't read all of the responses in here, so my apologies if someone has already suggested using a product like Polygrip, or anything that's used to hold dentures in place.

It might be a bit hard to pull your mouth guard off, but if you pull slowly it should come off without harming your teeth.

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
This is an odd request, but this forum has come up with amazing
solutions to odd requests so many times...

I have fairly severe bruxism (teeth grinding). I've fractured several
teeth over the years. My previous dentist gave me a standard mouth
guard. I continued to fracture teeth. My current dentist recommended a
device called an "NTI-TSS" (nociceptive trigeminal inhibitor tension
suppression system). It's a tiny mouth guard that fits over just the
front teeth. The theory is that the front teeth resist clenching whereas
the back teeth are triggerred to clench when they sense something to
chew (biting vs chewing).

http://www.kellerlab.com/115/products/nti-tss-plus.php

In any case, my NTI is starting to exhibit an unpleasant odor. I think
the problem is that it has developed some tiny cracks between the hard
outer shell that stop the clenching and the inner, softer material that
fits snugly around the teeth. These cracks are now serving as breeding
grounds for bacteria. This problem didn't occur for the first several
years I had the device, which is why I think it is related to a
deterioration of the seal.

I've tried soaking it in alcohol and various antibacterial rinses. This
cures the problem for a few days. I would like a more permanent
solution.

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the whole
device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep into all of
the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting back in there. I'd
soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply the seal.

Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.


Go to the news group sci.med.dentistry. There is at least one dentist
who posts there. Steven Bornfeld

--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeros after @

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 18:44:42 -0700, mike wrote:

On 9/17/2013 12:08 PM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 11:13:51 -0700, mike wrote:

On 9/17/2013 10:42 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 16:07:33 +0000 (UTC), "badgolferman"
wrote:

Jennifer Murphy wrote:

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the
whole device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep
into all of the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting
back in there. I'd soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply
the seal.

I don't have an answer for you but this website may be useful in how to
keep the thing clean.
http://www.ehow.com/way_5665486_home...outhguard.html

Interesting suggestions. I'll give them a try. I've tried rinsing it
each morning in alcohol and a dental rinse without success. I think the
little buggers have gotten a foothold (do they have feet?) and unless I
get it sealed, nothing will work because of the environment it is in 8
hours a day.

Thanks

I don't think rinsing it will help the critters deep in the cracks.
You gotta get the killer down where they are.

Why wouldn't the rinse penetrate every crack? Surely rinse molecules and
smaller than bacteria?

I can't tell how big the cracks are, but if they're small, it's not about
molecular size, it's about surface tension. A small amount of air
can completely prevent liquid from entering a crack.
The vacuum removes the air so the liquid gets sucked into the crack
when you remove the vacuum. You can do a similar thing with pressure
overcoming the resistance of the air pocket.
A more difficult problem is the mouth slime that's in there.
Maybe hit it with high pressure air to drive out some of the slime
before the vacuum.

I'd try putting it in a bath of the strongest disinfectant you think
it will stand and pulling a vacuum on it with a seal-a-meal or some
such to suck the air out of the cracks to let the killer in when
you remove the vacuum.

I went to the local hardware store. The only thing that looked like it
might work as a sealer was Super Glue or Crazy Glue (Cyanoacrylate).
When I have used it in the past to make repairs, I recall it penetrating
into cracks very rapidly and leaving almost no residue. I think it would
get into even the tiniest cracks and it would kill anything.

But is it safe to have in my mouth even after it is completely dry and
cured?

On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 5:28:04 PM UTC-4, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
That's what I was afraid of. I wouldn't use any kind of oil-based
sealant, such as is used on decks, but I was hoping there might be some
kind of plastic sealant that dries to a hard, non-porous finish. I think
any kind of epoxy would be too thick.

I think it's time to bite the bullet, as it were, break down, and buy a new one. You got "several years" out of the first one. No reason you won't get "several years" out of the next one.

Like I said before, lots cheaper than fixing the damage from grinding your teeth.

"Jennifer Murphy" wrote in message
...

This is an odd request, but this forum has come up with amazing
solutions to odd requests so many times...

I have fairly severe bruxism (teeth grinding). I've fractured several
teeth over the years. My previous dentist gave me a standard mouth
guard. I continued to fracture teeth. My current dentist recommended a
device called an "NTI-TSS" (nociceptive trigeminal inhibitor tension
suppression system). It's a tiny mouth guard that fits over just the
front teeth. The theory is that the front teeth resist clenching whereas
the back teeth are triggerred to clench when they sense something to
chew (biting vs chewing).

http://www.kellerlab.com/115/products/nti-tss-plus.php

In any case, my NTI is starting to exhibit an unpleasant odor. I think
the problem is that it has developed some tiny cracks between the hard
outer shell that stop the clenching and the inner, softer material that
fits snugly around the teeth. These cracks are now serving as breeding
grounds for bacteria. This problem didn't occur for the first several
years I had the device, which is why I think it is related to a
deterioration of the seal.

I've tried soaking it in alcohol and various antibacterial rinses. This
cures the problem for a few days. I would like a more permanent
solution.

Here's my question. Is there a material that I can use to seal the whole
device? I'm thinking of some type of acrylic that would seep into all of
the cracks and form a barrier to the bacteria getting back in there. I'd
soak it in alcohol to kill the bacteria than apply the seal.

Whatever it is would have to be safe to have in my mouth every night.

If that fails, I guess I'll go get a new device. They are about $500, so
if I can make this one last longer, I'd like to.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Could you check with a dentist to see if the (glue) they use to glue caps
on teeth would work as it may be thin enough to fill fine cracks. WW

On Wed, 18 Sep 2013 20:00:01 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 5:28:04 PM UTC-4, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
That's what I was afraid of. I wouldn't use any kind of oil-based
sealant, such as is used on decks, but I was hoping there might be some
kind of plastic sealant that dries to a hard, non-porous finish. I think
any kind of epoxy would be too thick.

I think it's time to bite the bullet, as it were, break down, and buy a new one. You got "several years" out of the first one. No reason you won't get "several years" out of the next one.

Like I said before, lots cheaper than fixing the damage from grinding your teeth.

You don't understand. Now it's personal -- between me and the mouth
guard. I can always get a new mouth guard. I only get a few chances to
tackle a challenging problem that is not even close to being worth the
effort. ;-)

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
Interesting suggestions. I'll give them a try. I've tried rinsing
it each morning in alcohol and a dental rinse without success. . . . ,

I think the alcohol and/or alcohol-based dental rinse may have damaged the
material and even caused the cracking in the device.

I went to the local hardware store. The only thing that looked like it
might work as a sealer was Super Glue or Crazy Glue (Cyanoacrylate).
When I have used it in the past to make repairs, I recall it
penetrating into cracks very rapidly and leaving almost no residue. I
think it would get into even the tiniest cracks and it would kill
anything.

But is it safe to have in my mouth even after it is completely dry and
cured?

No, I don't think even dried Super Glue would be safe to keep in your mouth
overnight. And, I think the Super Glue will be brittle and not compatible
with the device.

On Wed, 18 Sep 2013 15:27:37 -0400, willshak
wrote:

....snip...

Go to the news group sci.med.dentistry. There is at least one dentist
who posts there. Steven Bornfeld

Thanks for that suggestion. I posted a question there and have already
received a nice reply from Steven.

On Wed, 18 Sep 2013 22:49:35 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:

On Wed, 18 Sep 2013 20:00:01 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 5:28:04 PM UTC-4, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
That's what I was afraid of. I wouldn't use any kind of oil-based
sealant, such as is used on decks, but I was hoping there might be some
kind of plastic sealant that dries to a hard, non-porous finish. I think
any kind of epoxy would be too thick.

I think it's time to bite the bullet, as it were, break down, and buy a new one. You got "several years" out of the first one. No reason you won't get "several years" out of the next one.

Like I said before, lots cheaper than fixing the damage from grinding your teeth.

You don't understand. Now it's personal -- between me and the mouth
guard. I can always get a new mouth guard. I only get a few chances to
tackle a challenging problem that is not even close to being worth the
effort. ;-)

I understand that. 40 years ago I spent 10 dollars on parts for an 8
dollar electric coffee pot and I don't even drink coffee.

I still do similar things.

On Thu, 19 Sep 2013 16:43:15 -0400, micky
wrote:

On Wed, 18 Sep 2013 22:49:35 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:

On Wed, 18 Sep 2013 20:00:01 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Tuesday, September 17, 2013 5:28:04 PM UTC-4, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
That's what I was afraid of. I wouldn't use any kind of oil-based
sealant, such as is used on decks, but I was hoping there might be some
kind of plastic sealant that dries to a hard, non-porous finish. I think
any kind of epoxy would be too thick.

I think it's time to bite the bullet, as it were, break down, and buy a new one. You got "several years" out of the first one. No reason you won't get "several years" out of the next one.

Like I said before, lots cheaper than fixing the damage from grinding your teeth.

You don't understand. Now it's personal -- between me and the mouth
guard. I can always get a new mouth guard. I only get a few chances to
tackle a challenging problem that is not even close to being worth the
effort. ;-)

I understand that. 40 years ago I spent 10 dollars on parts for an 8
dollar electric coffee pot and I don't even drink coffee.

But it's not even the $10. How many hours did you spend and how many
trips to the hardware store?

I still do similar things.

Yea! At least one other similar sufferer. I wish I had a nickel for
every hour I ever spend on a uselsss, but irresistable, project.
Actually, now that I think of it, if I just had the hours back, I'd be a
lot younger. ;-)

On Thursday, September 19, 2013 1:49:35 AM UTC-4, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
You don't understand. Now it's personal -- between me and the mouth
guard. I can always get a new mouth guard. I only get a few chances to
tackle a challenging problem that is not even close to being worth the
effort. ;-)

As long as you admit that it's not worth the effort, have at it!

So many people come on here looking for cockamaime solutions to common problems, spending dollars to save dimes... It's rare when someone actually realizes that they are pursuing a fruitless endeavor.