Plenty of people grind or clench and never realize it — it often happens during sleep, or unconsciously during stressful moments. By some estimates, close to a third of adults do it. Common signs include worn or flattened teeth, new sensitivity, a sore or tight jaw, morning headaches, and aching around the temples, neck or shoulders. Over time that constant force can chip enamel, crack teeth, and wear down or loosen existing dental work.
A night guard — also called a bite splint or occlusal guard — is a custom appliance you wear over your upper or lower teeth while you sleep. It gives your teeth a protective surface to press against instead of each other, absorbing and spreading out the forces of grinding and clenching. That shields your natural teeth and any existing restorations, and it often relieves the jaw and muscle soreness that come with clenching.
For most patients we use a custom hard/soft bite splint — the Comfort H/S™ splint made by Glidewell, one of the most widely prescribed night-guard designs. What makes it work is its two-layer construction:
The soft inner layer cushions against your teeth and gums, so the guard feels comfortable and stays snug — the biggest reason people actually keep wearing it. The hard outer layer stands up to the forces of grinding and protects everything underneath. Comfortable enough to wear every night, tough enough to do its job: that balance is why it’s our default choice.
A night guard is worth considering for anyone who grinds or clenches — and it’s especially valuable if you’ve invested in dental work. If you have crowns or bridges, implants, veneers or dentures, a guard helps protect that work from nighttime wear and stress, often extending how long your restorations last. It’s a small, preventive step that can save a lot of repair down the road — the kind of everyday protection we cover in general & preventive care.
Your guard is made just for you. We take a quick digital scan or impression, your custom splint is fabricated to fit precisely, and then we check the fit and comfort and make any small adjustments. Because it’s custom, it fits better and lasts far longer than a boil-and-bite guard from the drugstore.
One more thing worth mentioning at your visit: if you also snore or wake up unrefreshed, grinding can sometimes travel alongside sleep-disordered breathing — something our Deccan Sleep Center can look into as well.
New patients welcome, emergencies seen promptly, and PPO insurance accepted.