A guide to the treatment
Night guards,
A custom-fitted guard, worn during sleep, built from your own bite to protect against grinding and clenching.
Bruxism, grinding or clenching during sleep, wears enamel, chips edges, loosens fillings. Often unnoticed until the damage is done. A night guard sits between the upper and lower teeth overnight, absorbing that pressure in place of the teeth themselves. Built from an impression or a digital scan, fitted to the mouth in question, not approximated. The dentist watches for the signs at each check-up and discusses whether a guard is warranted.
Treatment study · Porcelain · 01Why it is done
Night guards
A buffer, not a barrier
The guard absorbs the pressure of grinding or clenching. The enamel beneath it does not take the full force.
Built to the bite, precisely
An impression or digital scan captures the exact shape of the teeth. The guard is made to that shape, not a general size.
Existing work, given some cover
Crowns, veneers and implants carry real pressure under grinding too. A guard takes some of that load off them.
How it happens
A custom-fitted guard, worn during sleep, built from your own bite to protect against grinding and clenching.
Examination first
Worn edges, small chips, flattened surfaces, morning jaw ache, headaches. All noted at examination.
The bite, recorded
An impression or digital scan of the bite is taken, the basis for a guard built specifically to it.
The final fit
The finished guard is tried in and adjusted until it sits comfortably, the bite even across it.
Questions before a decision
A night guard warrants discussion where signs of grinding or clenching are present, though the dentist confirms what is occurring before recommending one.
What does a night guard protect against?
Worn during sleep, it protects the teeth from grinding or clenching, bruxism, a habit many are unaware of until wear appears.
Does it address snoring or sleep apnoea?
No. A night guard is not designed for either. Where snoring or sleep apnoea is suspected, the dentist advises the appropriate referral.
What signals that one is needed?
Worn or chipped teeth, morning jaw ache, headaches, or a partner mentioning grinding at night. An assessment confirms the rest.
Does it protect existing dental work?
To an extent. Grinding places pressure on crowns, veneers and implants as well as natural teeth. A guard can reduce that load, discussed case by case.
An assessment, first
Nothing proceeds until it has been examined properly.
Tell the team what has changed or what concerns you. Everything else, including whether treatment is even necessary, follows only after a proper look.
Arrange an appointment