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At Designing Smiles, our Westchase team helps patients protect their smiles from this quiet but serious habit. We offer custom night guards designed to precisely fit your bite, giving your teeth and jaw the protection they need while you rest. If you are ready to stop the grinding before it wears down your smile, our preventive dentistry team is here to help.
Bruxism can stem from several sources, and most patients are surprised to learn how many factors play a role. Stress is one of the most common triggers, but grinding can also stem from an uneven bite, missing teeth, or certain sleep patterns.
Sleep bruxism affects a notable share of adults, and research published by the National Library of Medicine notes that sleep bruxism affects 8% to 10% of adults, while wake bruxism affects roughly 22% to 31% of the population. Left unaddressed, the repetitive pressure from grinding may lead to worn enamel, chipped teeth, and jaw discomfort that can affect your daily life. Since grinding often happens without any awareness, many people go months or even years before realizing there is any problem at all.
Book NowYou might not feel yourself grinding while you sleep, but your body often leaves clues behind. Some of the most common signs include the following:
If any of these sound like what you’ve noticed, it may be worth scheduling an exam so we can take a closer look at your bite and enamel wear. A dental visit gives us the chance to check for early wear patterns before they progress into bigger problems.
A custom night guard acts as a barrier between your upper and lower teeth, absorbing the force created by grinding and clenching. Unlike generic guards sold in stores, ours are made from a precise mold of your own bite, so the fit feels natural and stays comfortable throughout the night.
We take impressions in our Westchase office and work with a trusted dental lab to craft a guard that matches your exact bite. This custom approach means the guard stays in place, does not shift or feel bulky, and holds up well over years of nightly use. Once you get used to it, a well-fitted guard can feel natural. Since the guard is built specifically for your mouth, it also tends to last much longer than a generic option, saving you the hassle of frequent replacements.
Off-the-shelf night guards can seem like an easy fix, but they rarely solve the problem the way a custom guard does. A poor fit can shift your bite, cause more discomfort, or fail to protect the teeth that need it most. When a store-bought night guard is too uncomfortable to wear, it winds up shoved in a drawer, which doesn’t provide any protection at all.
Our approach starts with a full evaluation of your bite pattern, tooth wear, and jaw alignment. From there, we design a guard that addresses your specific needs rather than a one-size-fits-all shape. This attention to detail is part of the comprehensive, in-house care we provide to every patient who walks through our doors.
If you have crowns, veneers, or other restorative work, nighttime grinding puts that investment at great risk. The same forces that wear down natural enamel can chip porcelain, loosen restorations, or shorten their lifespan considerably.
A night guard is one of the simplest ways to safeguard the work you have already had done. Patients who have completed dental crowns or other restorative treatment often benefit most from a guard, since it helps preserve the results for years to come. Combining a night guard with regular checkups gives your smile the best chance of staying healthy and intact, and it can spare you from costly repairs down the road.
Here are answers to common questions about night guards.
If mornings bring jaw soreness, headaches, or teeth that look more worn than they should, a custom night guard from Designing Smiles may be able to help. Our Westchase practice provides a personalized strategy for every treatment plan, and we believe every patient deserves care that fits their specific bite, lifestyle, and budget. We proudly welcome PPO insurance plans, including Delta Dental, Cigna, Aetna, and MetLife. For patients without insurance, it’s simple: no insurance, no problem, and payment plans are available.
Our team is locally owned and operated, and we treat every patient the way we would want our own family treated. Whether you need a first-time night guard fitting or want to explore other ways to protect your smile, we are ready to help you find the right solution. Reach out through our contact form to schedule your visit today.