Night Guard

Your night guard takes the overnight shift. Here is what it does, why your dentist may prescribe it, and which changes deserve a closer look.

What it is

A night guard is a removable guard that covers the biting surfaces of your teeth. It protects teeth from the effects of bruxism—grinding and clenching—while you are otherwise busy sleeping and emphatically unavailable for comment. A night guard may also be one part of a conservative plan for temporomandibular disorder (TMD), a condition involving the jaw joint and related structures. It does not definitively correct the way your teeth meet.

Who it’s for

A night guard may be prescribed for documented nighttime grinding or clenching, or to protect dental restorations from wear caused by biting forces. A clinician may also include a splint in the management of mild to moderate TMD symptoms when that therapy is indicated. It is part of a plan, though, not a tiny plastic promise of symptom relief. Diagnosis and treatment decisions belong to your dentist.

A night guard may not be suitable if active, uncontrolled gum disease makes it unstable; if there is not enough sound tooth structure to hold it without an added design; or if gagging or difficulty wearing it means you cannot tolerate a removable appliance. Even very useful appliances do not get to be right for everyone.

What to expect

Night guards come in hard, soft, and dual-laminate forms. A hard guard is rigid and allows precise control of how the teeth meet. A soft guard uses flexible, cushioning material and may be selected for comfort and lighter grinding. A dual-laminate guard combines a hard biting surface with a soft surface against the teeth and tissues—the dental equivalent of being firm on the outside and considerate underneath.

Clear Fusion Lab also offers a Clear Fusion branded night guard: a thermal sheet covered by hard acrylic.

Coverage can also be extended when prescribed. Your clinician chooses the form based on your grinding pattern, comfort tolerance, and treatment goal, and will tell you how to wear it. This is one occasion when borrowing someone else’s routine is not neighbourly; it is simply the wrong prescription.

Caring for it

Cleaning, storage, and wear routines vary, so follow the directions from your treating clinician. Pay attention to changes in fit, thickness, comfort, and the way your teeth meet while wearing the appliance. Inspect it for breakage or rapid wear too. Your night guard has one job, and slowly changing shape is not an exciting career development.

Do not choose a different material or trim the guard on your own. Home alterations have a way of becoming professional appointments. Your clinician can review whether its material and coverage remain appropriate.

When to contact your dentist

Contact your dentist if the guard becomes loose, feels too thick or too thin, breaks, wears rapidly, or does not hold your jaw in the position your clinician intended. You should also contact them if you cannot tolerate the appliance. These concerns may require a review of the fit, prescribed thickness, material, or coverage.

For TMD concerns, contact your treating clinician for assessment. Do not use changes in symptoms to diagnose the condition or change treatment yourself.