Custom Nightguards – Protect Your Teeth from Grinding and Clenching

At Bedrock Dentistry, we provide custom-fitted nightguards (also called occlusal guards or bruxism appliances) to protect your teeth, dental work, and jaw joints from the damaging effects of teeth grinding and clenching. Using our advanced in-house SprintRay 3D printer, we fabricate precisely fitted nightguards that are more comfortable, durable, and effective than over-the-counter options—often delivering your custom guard in just days rather than weeks.

What is a nightguard?

A nightguard is a custom-made dental appliance that fits over your upper or lower teeth, creating a protective barrier that prevents tooth-on-tooth contact during sleep. When you grind or clench your teeth (a condition called bruxism), you generate forces up to 250 pounds per square inch—far exceeding normal chewing forces of 20-40 pounds. These excessive forces cause serious dental damage over time.

Nightguards don't stop you from grinding or clenching, but they protect your teeth from the destructive consequences by absorbing and distributing the forces evenly, preventing direct tooth contact that causes wear and fractures.

Why do you need a nightguard?

You may need a nightguard if you experience:

• Worn, flattened, or chipped teeth: Grinding wears down enamel, exposing yellow dentin and making teeth appear shorter

• Tooth sensitivity or pain: Worn enamel exposes sensitive dentin layers

• Jaw pain, soreness, or TMJ problems: Clenching strains jaw muscles and joints, causing headaches and facial pain

• Morning headaches: Tension headaches from overnight clenching

• Fractured teeth or broken dental work: Excessive forces crack teeth and break fillings, crowns, or veneers

• Partner complaints: Your partner hears grinding sounds during sleep

• Tongue indentations: Scalloped edges on tongue sides from pressing against teeth

• Cheek ridging: White lines inside cheeks from clenching

Nightguards for patients with dental implants, crowns, or veneers

If you've invested in dental implants, All-on-X restorations, porcelain veneers, or expensive crowns and bridges, a nightguard is essential protection for your investment. Grinding forces can crack porcelain veneers, fracture crowns, loosen dental implants by causing bone loss, damage implant prosthetics, and cause peri-implantitis (gum disease around implants) from excessive force and inflammation.

We strongly recommend nightguards for patients who grind or clench after any major restorative or cosmetic dental work to ensure your new teeth last their full lifespan.

Nightguards after periodontal surgery

For patients who've undergone periodontal surgery (gum grafts, osseous surgery, bone grafting, or implant placement), wearing a nightguard during healing is especially important. Grinding and clenching create excessive forces on healing tissues that can:

• Disrupt healing gum tissue and cause graft failure

• Place stress on newly placed dental implants before they've fully integrated, increasing failure risk

• Damage bone grafts during the critical healing phase

• Cause inflammation that delays healing

We often fabricate nightguards immediately after surgery for known bruxers to protect your surgical results during the vulnerable healing period. Once healing is complete, you'll continue wearing the nightguard long-term to protect your periodontal health and dental work.

Custom 3D-printed nightguards vs. store-bought guards

At Bedrock Dentistry, we use our in-house SprintRay 3D printer to fabricate custom nightguards with superior fit, comfort, and durability compared to over-the-counter options.

Custom 3D-printed nightguards (our option):

• Precisely fitted to your exact tooth anatomy using digital scans

• Comfortable enough to wear all night without gagging or irritation

• Durable materials designed to withstand grinding forces

• Proper thickness and coverage to protect all teeth effectively

• Better retention—stays in place during sleep

• Faster fabrication (often ready in days, not weeks)

• Adjustable if needed for optimal comfort

Over-the-counter boil-and-bite guards:

• One-size-fits-all design that never fits precisely

• Bulky and uncomfortable, causing many people to stop wearing them

• Thin materials that wear through quickly (often lasting only weeks)

• Poor retention—frequently falls out during sleep

• Can worsen bite problems if not properly fitted

• May only cover front teeth, leaving molars unprotected

The superior fit and durability of custom guards means you'll actually wear it consistently—and consistent wear is what protects your teeth.

Types of custom nightguards

Soft nightguards: Made from flexible material; comfortable but less durable. Best for mild grinding or patients with TMJ sensitivity. May need replacement more frequently.

Hard acrylic nightguards: Made from rigid acrylic; most durable and longest-lasting. Best for heavy grinders. Provides excellent protection but may take a few nights to adjust to firmness.

Dual-laminate nightguards: Soft inside layer (comfortable against teeth) with hard outer layer (durable protection). Best combination of comfort and durability for moderate to heavy grinders. This is our most popular option.

We'll recommend the best type based on your grinding severity, jaw sensitivity, and personal preferences.

What is the nightguard process?

Digital scanning: We take precise digital impressions of your teeth using our intraoral scanner—no messy impression trays needed. The scan captures every detail of your tooth anatomy.

3D printing and fabrication: Your scan is sent to our in-house SprintRay 3D printer, which fabricates your custom nightguard from medical-grade materials. Because we print in-office, your guard is often ready in just a few days rather than the 2-3 weeks required when sending to external labs.

Fitting and adjustment: You return for a brief fitting appointment where we ensure the nightguard fits perfectly, feels comfortable, and provides proper coverage. We make any necessary adjustments so you can bite comfortably and the guard stays securely in place.

Home care instructions: We'll teach you how to insert and remove the guard, proper cleaning techniques, and storage recommendations.

How do I care for my nightguard?

• Rinse immediately after removal each morning with cool water

• Brush gently with a soft toothbrush and non-abrasive soap or denture cleaner (not toothpaste, which can scratch)

• Deep clean weekly by soaking in denture cleaning solution or diluted white vinegar

• Store in your case when not wearing to protect from damage and keep clean

• Keep away from heat (hot water, direct sunlight, car dashboards) which can warp the material

• Bring to dental appointments so we can check fit and condition

• Replace when worn (typically every 1-3 years depending on grinding severity)

How much does a custom nightguard cost?

Custom nightguards are a worthwhile investment to protect teeth and dental work that would cost thousands to repair or replace if damaged by grinding. Many dental insurance plans cover nightguards partially or fully (often 50-80% coverage) when medically necessary. We provide insurance estimates before fabrication and offer flexible payment options for out-of-pocket costs.

Why choose Bedrock Dentistry for custom nightguards in Austin?

Our in-house SprintRay 3D printing technology allows us to provide superior custom nightguards faster than traditional methods. As periodontal specialists, we understand the critical importance of protecting teeth, implants, and surgical results from grinding forces. Whether you need a nightguard to protect natural teeth, preserve expensive dental work, or safeguard healing after periodontal surgery, we'll create a precisely fitted, comfortable guard you'll actually wear consistently.

If you grind your teeth, wake with jaw pain or headaches, or have recently completed dental treatment, contact us to discuss custom nightguard protection. Don't wait until grinding causes irreversible damage—protect your smile and your investment today.