Named occlusal splint designs, from the Michigan splint to the Tanner appliance and flat-plane stabilisation splint, are a defined occlusal design, not just a hard guard, that our UK dental lab fabricates to a specific brief. This guide sets out what each named splint is, when we make it, the material and the records we need, written lab to dentist.
For UK practices, occlusal splints run on our standard 10 working day turnaround from a complete impression or scan, fabricated at our GDC-registered, DAMAS-accredited (DAMAS 230697) lab and shipped by tracked courier to practices across England.
A named occlusal splint is a hard, full-coverage acrylic appliance built to a specific occlusal scheme. The names tell us the arch and the design, not the brand. This page sits under our wider guide to night guards and splints, and focuses on the four designs dentists ask us for most.
What a Named Occlusal Splint Actually Is
An occlusal splint is a removable appliance that covers the biting surfaces of every tooth in one arch. Full coverage matters. Partial coverage can let unopposed teeth over-erupt, so we fabricate these designs to cover the whole arch unless you tell us otherwise. The named designs differ in which arch they sit on and how the occlusal surface is built.
A michigan splint and a Tanner appliance are both stabilisation splints. They share the same goal, a stable and reproducible occlusion with even contacts and guided excursions, but they are built on different arches. The name is shorthand for a design brief, which is why getting the terminology right on your lab sheet removes guesswork for us.
If you are weighing a hard stabilisation splint against a softer guard, our note on soft versus hard guards covers where each one belongs.
The Michigan Splint
The michigan splint is a maxillary, full-coverage stabilisation splint. It sits on the upper arch and presents a flat occlusal platform to the opposing lower teeth, with canine guidance ramps that disclude the posterior teeth in lateral and protrusive movements. The aim is even bilateral contact in the retruded position and smooth, posterior-free excursions.
- Arch: maxillary (upper). This is the default and most requested design.
- Occlusal scheme: flat plane with even centric stops, canine rise on excursion, posterior disclusion.
- Indications: sleep bruxism, masticatory muscle pain, protection of heavily restored or newly restored dentitions, and a diagnostic role in suspected occlusal trauma.
- We finish the occlusal surface so contacts are visible and adjustable chairside on delivery.
Because the platform is flat and the guidance is built in, the michigan splint deprograms the muscles and gives the mandible a repeatable position to work from. That is what separates it from a stock guard that only blocks tooth-on-tooth wear.
The Tanner Appliance
The Tanner appliance is the mandibular counterpart to the Michigan. Same stabilisation principle, even contacts and guided excursions, but constructed on the lower arch. We build it when the upper arch is unsuitable for a splint, for example where aesthetics, speech or a full upper restorative case makes a maxillary appliance impractical.
- Arch: mandibular (lower).
- When we make it: extensive upper anterior restorations, patient tolerance, or your clinical preference for a lower appliance.
- Occlusal scheme: the same stabilisation logic as the Michigan, with contacts and anterior guidance built against the upper teeth.
Tell us the arch explicitly on the lab sheet. Michigan means upper, Tanner means lower, and that single word sets the whole design.
Flat-Plane Stabilisation Splints and the Anterior Bite Plane
Stabilisation splint is the umbrella term. Both the Michigan and the Tanner are stabilisation splints; the named versions simply specify the arch and the guidance detail. When a prescription just says stabilisation splint with no further detail, we default to a maxillary full-coverage flat-plane design and confirm with you before fabrication.
An anterior bite plane is a different design. It contacts only the lower anterior teeth against an upper acrylic ramp, leaving the posterior teeth out of contact. It is a short-term, diagnostic or muscle-deprogramming appliance, not a long-term wear option, because leaving posteriors free can allow movement over time. We make these when you specify them, and we flag the coverage so the limitation is on record.
- Stabilisation splint: full coverage, even contacts, the safe default for night-time wear.
- Anterior bite plane: partial coverage, anterior contact only, short-term and supervised use.
Material: What We Build These From
Our standard for named stabilisation splints is hard acrylic, processed for a flat, polishable occlusal surface that holds adjustment. Hard acrylic is what gives the Michigan and Tanner their defined contacts and guidance ramps. A soft or thermoformed material cannot hold a precise occlusal scheme, which is why these designs are hard by definition.
- Standard: hard acrylic (PMMA), full coverage, rigid through the occlusal table.
- Dual-laminate option: a soft inner surface against the teeth with a hard outer occlusal layer, for patients who struggle to tolerate a fully rigid fit. Specify this if you want it.
- Thickness: we build adequate occlusal thickness for strength against heavy bruxism while keeping the appliance as low-profile as the case allows.
If your patient is a known heavy grinder, say so on the sheet so we can build in the thickness rather than have it fracture in service.
Records: What the Lab Needs From You
A named occlusal splint is only as good as the records it is built on. The occlusal scheme is constructed to a jaw relationship, so we need that relationship captured, not just two arches floating in space. Send us the following and the appliance will seat and function with minimal chairside adjustment.
- Impressions or scans: both arches. We accept intraoral scans from 3Shape, Medit, iTero and Dexis, or conventional impressions.
- Bite registration: a centric relation or chosen reference record at the working vertical dimension. This is the single most important record for a stabilisation splint.
- Arch and design: Michigan (upper), Tanner (lower), stabilisation or anterior bite plane. State the guidance you want if it differs from canine rise.
- Notes: bruxism severity, any restorations to clear, and tolerance concerns for the dual-laminate option.
If you want the design mounted to a specific jaw position rather than maximum intercuspation, send the facebow or articulator record and we will build to it. A clean bite record is what keeps the even-contact scheme accurate. Our guide to orthodontic appliances covers the records side in more detail.
Michigan Splint Versus a Standard Night Guard
A standard night guard protects teeth from wear. A michigan splint does that and adds a designed occlusion: even contacts, canine guidance and a repeatable jaw position. The difference is the occlusal scheme, which is why a Michigan is prescribed and adjusted, while a basic guard is simply worn.
Which one you prescribe depends on the case. Pure wear protection on a sound occlusion can sit happily on a simpler hard guard. A patient with muscle pain, an unstable bite or a heavily restored arch is the case for a named stabilisation design. The split between soft and hard guards, and where each belongs, is covered in our soft versus hard night guards guide.
Sending a Case to Flora
Flora Dental Lab is a UK lab supplying UK practices. We are GDC registered and DAMAS and DLA accredited, so your appliances come through a quality-managed route. Crown and bridge turnaround is around ten working days; splint timelines we confirm per case when you book.
If you have not worked with us before, your first case is free, up to £100 in value, with no invoice and no contract. Send us a named splint case, a Michigan or a Tanner, and judge the fit and the occlusion against what you currently get. Upload your scans from 3Shape, Medit, iTero or Dexis, or post conventional impressions with a bite record, and tell us the arch and design.
One clear lab sheet, the right bite record and the design named correctly. That is all we need to build a splint that seats and functions on day one.
For how these appliances are billed, see our occlusal guard coding guide.
What is the difference between a Tanner splint and a Michigan splint?
Both are full-coverage hard stabilisation splints with the same occlusal aim, even contacts and guided excursions. The Michigan splint is constructed on the upper (maxillary) arch and the Tanner appliance on the lower (mandibular) arch. The name tells the lab which arch to build on, so state it clearly on your prescription.
What is a Michigan splint used for?
A michigan splint is a maxillary full-coverage occlusal splint used to manage sleep bruxism and masticatory muscle pain, to protect heavily restored or newly restored teeth, and as a diagnostic appliance in suspected occlusal trauma. It gives the mandible a stable, repeatable position with canine-guided excursions.
What is the difference between a night guard and a Michigan splint?
A standard night guard mainly protects teeth from grinding wear. A Michigan splint adds a designed occlusion: even centric contacts, canine guidance and a repeatable jaw position, so it is prescribed and adjusted rather than simply worn. The choice between a softer guard and a hard splint is covered in our soft versus hard night guards guide.
What material is a stabilisation splint made from?
Our standard is hard acrylic (PMMA) with a full-coverage, polishable occlusal surface that holds adjustment. We also offer a dual-laminate option, a soft inner surface with a hard outer occlusal layer, for patients who cannot tolerate a fully rigid fit. Soft-only materials cannot hold a precise occlusal scheme.
What records does the lab need to make a Michigan splint?
Both arches as scans or impressions, plus a bite registration at the chosen jaw position and vertical dimension. The bite record is the single most important item for a stabilisation splint. Name the arch and design on the sheet, and send a facebow or articulator record if you want the splint mounted to a specific position.
Can I use named occlusal splints alongside other appliances?
Yes. A stabilisation splint is often part of a wider plan that includes other custom appliances. See our broader guide to orthodontic appliances for how splints sit alongside related lab work and how to specify each correctly.
