Night Guards and TMJ Care

A night guard protects your teeth from grinding. It does not end the grinding, and we say that plainly at the start. At Pearl32 Dentistry and Wellness in Laguna Hills, guards are made from a digital scan, so there is no putty tray and the fit is close. We also handle jaw joint symptoms conservatively: clicking, morning ache, locking and ear pain. Treatment begins with the least invasive option and moves only if it needs to.

How do you know you grind?

Your teeth show it before you feel it. Flattened chewing surfaces, front teeth that meet edge to edge, chips on bonding and small cracks in enamel are the common findings. Scalloped edges along the side of the tongue and a ridge of bone inside the lower jaw point the same way.

Symptoms follow. A jaw that aches on waking. Headaches in the temples in the morning. Teeth sensitive to cold with no cavity. A partner who hears the noise at night. We scan your teeth and compare year to year, which shows how fast the wear is moving.

Custom guard or store bought?

A custom guard is made from a digital scan of both arches and your bite, then built to a measured thickness in the right material. It covers every tooth evenly, so force is shared rather than concentrated. It stays put while you sleep.

Store bought guards are softer and thicker. A soft guard can act like a chew toy and increase muscle activity in some people. A partial coverage guard that touches only the front teeth can let the back teeth move over months. If cost is the issue, tell us and we will work through the options with you.

What are the signs of a TMJ disorder?

Three symptoms matter most: noise, restriction and pain. Clicking or popping when you open is common and often harmless on its own. Locking, where the jaw catches closed or will not close, is not. Pain in front of the ear, ear fullness with normal hearing, and pain when chewing complete the picture.

Most cases are muscular rather than joint damage, and muscular cases respond well to conservative care. We measure the range of opening in millimeters, listen to the joints, feel the muscles, and check how your teeth meet. A cone beam scan is used when bone changes are suspected.

How is TMJ trouble treated here?

We begin with the least invasive steps, and most people never need more. A guard to protect the teeth and unload the muscles overnight. Habit changes: keeping teeth apart during the day, avoiding gum and hard bread, and noticing clenching at the computer. Heat for muscles, ice for acute joint pain.

Bite adjustment is used where a specific high spot is doing the damage, and it is done carefully, because enamel does not come back. Physical therapy referrals help a great deal for restricted opening. If imaging suggests a disc problem, an MRI and a referral are the right next steps.

What a night guard will not do

A night guard will not end the grinding habit. That habit is driven by sleep patterns, stress and sometimes airway issues, and a piece of plastic does not reach any of those. What it does is take the wear itself, which is the point of wearing one.

It will not treat sleep apnea either. If you grind and also snore, wake unrefreshed or have been told you pause breathing at night, that needs a conversation and a physician diagnosis first. And it will not settle every jaw symptom. We give it six to eight weeks, measure whether things improved, and change the plan if they did not.

What does a night guard cost?

A custom night guard is quoted in writing, itemized, after an examination, and the fee depends on the material and the coverage. We tell you the figure before we scan, and the follow up adjustment visits are included.

We are in network with most major PPO plans and Delta Dental HMO. Many plans cover an occlusal guard once every few years, and we check your specific frequency limit first. Third party financing is available and the practice is not the creditor, through CareCredit, Cherry, Sunbit and Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub). See financing or our membership plan.

Questions people ask about night Guards and TMJ Care

How long does a night guard last?

Two to five years for most people, and less for heavy grinders. Hard acrylic guards last longer than soft ones. Bring it to every cleaning visit so we can check the fit and look at the wear pattern, which tells us how hard you are working at night. A guard worn through is no longer protecting anything.

Will a night guard change my bite?

A full coverage guard should not, because every tooth is contacted evenly. Partial guards that touch only some teeth can allow the others to move over months, which is one reason we avoid them for long term use. We check your bite at follow up visits and adjust the guard as needed. Tell us right away if your teeth meet differently in the morning.

Why does my jaw click?

Usually because the disc inside the joint slips slightly forward and snaps back as you open. A click with no pain and full opening is common and often needs nothing more than monitoring. A click that becomes a lock, or pain with chewing, changes the picture. We measure your opening in millimeters at each visit so we can see whether it is changing.

Can Botox help my clenching?

It is used for jaw muscle pain in some cases, and the evidence is mixed rather than settled. It relaxes the muscle for a few months and does not address why you clench. We prefer to begin with a guard, habit changes and physical therapy, then discuss other options if symptoms remain after eight to twelve weeks of conservative care.

Should I wear it every night?

Yes, once you have one. Grinding is not evenly distributed, and the night you leave it out can be the night you crack a cusp. Most people adapt within one to two weeks. If it makes you gag or feels bulky, tell us rather than abandoning it, because the design can usually be trimmed or remade thinner.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. What is right for you can only be decided after an examination.