Prevention
Night Guard
A custom-fitted appliance worn during sleep to protect teeth from grinding.
A night guard (occlusal splint) is a hard or dual-laminate plastic appliance moulded to fit one of the dental arches. It absorbs and redistributes the forces generated during nocturnal bruxism, protecting the enamel from wear, the temporomandibular joint from overload, and existing restorations from fracture. Custom dentist-made guards fit precisely and last for years, while over-the-counter "boil-and-bite" versions are cheaper but bulkier and less effective. Night guards do not cure grinding, which is often stress- or airway-related, but they are the most reliable way to limit the damage it causes.