Stop teeth grinding from damaging your smile with a custom-fitted night guard built for lasting comfort and real protection.
General Dentistry
If you wake up with a sore jaw, tight temples, or a dull headache that seems to come from nowhere, your teeth may be working overtime while you sleep. Bruxism, the clinical term for grinding and clenching, is one of the most common and most overlooked sources of dental damage we see in our Charlotte patients. A custom night guard is a simple, affordable solution that stands between your teeth and years of unnecessary wear.
At Promenade Center for Dentistry, night guards are part of our broader general dentistry approach to protecting your oral health before small problems become expensive, complicated ones. A well-made guard is more than a piece of plastic - it's a precisely fitted appliance designed around the exact contours of your bite, built to redistribute the forces of grinding so your teeth, jaw joints, and muscles can finally rest.
Bruxism often happens unconsciously, and many patients have no idea they're doing it until the damage shows up during a routine exam or until symptoms become hard to ignore. Recognizing the warning signs early can prevent fractures, gum recession, and chronic jaw pain down the road.
Night guards aren't only for patients with an official bruxism diagnosis. A wide range of Charlotte residents benefit from wearing one, whether the cause is stress, sleep quality, bite alignment, or a history of dental work that needs extra protection. During your evaluation, we'll look closely at your enamel wear patterns, jaw muscle tension, and bite relationship to determine if a guard is right for you and, if so, which design will serve you best.
We also take into account your lifestyle and overall dental history, since a guard that's too bulky or poorly fitted often ends up sitting in a drawer instead of your mouth. Our goal is always a guard you'll actually want to wear every night.
Not every patient grinds at the same intensity, so not every patient needs the same style of guard. We offer a range of designs, each built from a precise digital or physical impression of your bite so the final appliance fits securely without shifting, rubbing, or feeling bulky. We'll walk you through the trade-offs between durability, comfort, and thickness so you leave with the guard that genuinely matches your needs.
A night guard is a small investment compared to the cost of repairing a fractured tooth or replacing a damaged crown. Beyond protecting your enamel, consistent use can meaningfully improve how you feel each morning, easing muscle tension that often goes unaddressed for years.
A guard acts as a cushion, absorbing the grinding forces that would otherwise flatten and crack your tooth surfaces over time.
By keeping the jaw in a more relaxed resting position overnight, many patients report fewer tension headaches and less facial soreness.
Crowns, veneers, fillings, and implants last longer when they aren't subjected to constant nighttime grinding pressure.
Less muscle strain and fewer disruptive clenching episodes can translate into a more restful, uninterrupted night's sleep.
A properly fitted guard helps stabilize the jaw joint, which can ease clicking, popping, and discomfort associated with TMJ strain.
Preventing cracked teeth and worn restorations means fewer emergency visits and fewer costly repairs over the years.
We examine your teeth, gums, and jaw joints for signs of wear, sensitivity, or muscle tension, and discuss your symptoms and sleep patterns.
We capture an exact model of your upper and lower arches, either with a digital scanner or traditional impression material, to guide the lab fabrication.
Your guard is built to your exact bite specifications using the material type best suited to your grinding severity and comfort preferences.
Once your guard arrives, we check the fit in person and make precise adjustments so it sits comfortably without pressure points or shifting.
Choosing where to get your night guard matters more than many patients realize. Off-the-shelf store guards are bulky, wear out quickly, and often fit poorly enough to cause new problems. We take a different approach, grounded in careful diagnosis and genuine craftsmanship.
With proper care, most custom night guards last between three and five years, though patients with more severe grinding may need replacement sooner. Regular dental checkups allow us to monitor wear and recommend a new guard before it loses effectiveness.
Most patients adjust within the first week or two of consistent wear. Because the guard is custom-molded to your bite, it should feel far more comfortable than a store-bought version, and we'll make any necessary adjustments during a follow-up visit if something feels off.
Over-the-counter guards use a generic, one-size-fits-all mold that often feels bulky and can shift during the night, sometimes making grinding worse. A custom guard is built from an impression of your exact bite, providing a secure, comfortable fit designed to last significantly longer.
Rinse your guard with cool water after each use and brush it gently with a soft toothbrush, avoiding hot water which can warp the material. Store it in its protective case when not in use, and bring it to your regular dental visits so we can check its fit and condition.
Many dental insurance plans provide partial coverage for night guards when they're deemed medically necessary, particularly if there's documented evidence of grinding-related damage or TMJ symptoms. Our team can help verify your benefits and walk you through what to expect before treatment begins.
Standard night guards are designed specifically to prevent grinding damage rather than to treat snoring or sleep apnea. If snoring or disrupted breathing is a concern, we can discuss whether a different type of oral appliance might be more appropriate for your needs.
Promenade Center for Dentistry
Our caring team is ready to welcome you with gentle, personalized dental care. Book online or give us a call - we'd love to see you smile.
