Night Guards: Protecting Teeth and Restorations from Grinding
This page is for people who grind or clench their teeth and are considering a night guard (occlusal splint). The NHS says night guards protect teeth from damage, but research has not shown they stop grinding. It compares hard and soft guards, explains how guards are made, worn and cared for, asks whether they protect bonding and crowns, and confirms Deepcar Dental Care offers night guards for patients who grind.
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Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information only. It does not replace an examination or treatment by a dentist.
This page is reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, the practice's principal dentist and a General Dental Practitioner (GDC 301711). His qualifications are BDS, BSc (Hons), MSc (Leeds), PG Dip Implant Dentistry and PG Cert Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry.
What does a night guard do?
A night guard is a mouth guard or mouth splint worn at night to protect your teeth from damage, as the NHS describes it. A dentist may recommend one, the NHS says, and it can be made by a dentist to fit precisely over your upper or lower teeth.
In dental research a night guard is usually called an occlusal splint, because it covers the biting (occlusal) surfaces of the teeth. The NHS also says treatment for teeth grinding is not always needed. Why people grind, and how grinding is managed, are covered on our page about teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism).
Do night guards work?
Night guards are widely used, but research has not shown that they reduce grinding in the long term or prevent tooth wear. A 2007 Cochrane review of five randomised trials concluded that there is not sufficient evidence to state that the occlusal splint is effective for treating sleep bruxism. Its use was questionable for sleep outcomes, the authors wrote, but it may be that there is some benefit with regard to tooth wear.
A 2020 review for the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) found no studies that measured tooth wear in people with bruxism, so there was insufficient evidence to determine whether or not splints reduce it. A 2018 review of oral appliances for sleep bruxism found that most studies were small and short term. Eight using objective measures reported less sleep bruxism activity with almost every type of appliance, with a greater decrease for devices designed to bring the lower jaw forward. Even so, the authors judged the evidence insufficient to support a role in reducing sleep bruxism over the long term.
What is the difference between hard and soft night guards?
Hard night guards are rigid, typically acrylic, while soft night guards are a flexible sheet such as silicone or vinyl.
| General research description | Hard night guard | Soft night guard |
|---|---|---|
| How a 2024 systematic review of splints for sleep bruxism describes it | Durable under the stresses of grinding | Comfortable and cushioning for the teeth and jaws, with varied outcomes in studies |
| A design described in research | Michigan splint: covers a whole arch, usually the upper, with a flat surface and canine guidance | A soft sheet covering all the upper teeth |
Night guards also differ in occlusal coverage, meaning how many teeth they cover. A full-arch guard such as the Michigan splint covers every tooth in one arch, while partial devices cover only the central front teeth. A 2021 pilot study says long-term users of a partial device should be told of possible risks, including irreversible bite changes; if your bite feels different, see a dentist.
Can a soft night guard make clenching worse?
Possibly, in some people, but the evidence is mixed. In Okeson's 1987 study, 10 people wore a hard and then a soft splint at night. The hard splint significantly reduced muscle activity in 8; the soft splint reduced it in 1 and significantly increased it in 5.
Later studies point both ways. A 2024 meta-analysis of 12 studies (Ferreira and colleagues) found that soft and hard appliances did not influence muscle activity or bite force in people with sleep bruxism, with low to very low certainty of evidence. A 2023 trial of 115 people (Benli and Özcan) found that soft splints lowered maximum bite force in the short term, over two months, and that sleep quality improved in the soft-splint groups.
In its discussion, a 2024 systematic review of splints for sleep bruxism says soft splints have shown varied outcomes, so their potential adverse effects should be considered for each person, and that the choice of splint should weigh individual requirements and preferences. If you think a night guard is making clenching worse, show it to a dentist.
How is a night guard made?
In general, a custom-made night guard is made from a record of your upper and lower teeth and how they bite together. Traditionally that record is an impression, poured to make a plaster model, and the guard is processed in acrylic or vacuum-formed from a sheet over the model, a 2025 review of splint fabrication explains.
In a digital workflow, the same review explains, an intraoral scanner records both arches and the bite, the guard is designed on a computer, and it is milled or 3D printed, then finished and polished.
Questions about this treatment? Book online or call the practice.
What is it like getting used to a night guard?
Splint trials rarely report side effects: a 2020 review for the NIHR found adverse events were generally not reported, but seemed infrequent when they were. In a 1992 study of 61 people with jaw joint and jaw muscle problems, treated with splints or acupuncture, the effects of splints seemed more local than those of acupuncture, such as more or less saliva and a feeling of tension in the teeth. Only a few found either treatment uncomfortable, and there were no serious adverse events.
If a night guard hurts, feels loose, cracks or makes your bite feel different, show it to a dentist.
How long does a night guard last, and how is it cared for?
How long a night guard lasts depends on wear, because splints wear down and their materials age with use. A 2024 systematic review notes that contact with the teeth abrades splints, and that traditional and 3D-printed splint materials age in the mouth, reducing their effectiveness.
In a 2025 trial of 30 people, splints made digitally lost less material to wear over six months than conventionally made ones, with no difference in pain scores. The authors concluded that as a splint wears, the balance of its contact with the teeth can gradually change, potentially reducing its therapeutic effectiveness.
For 3D-printed splints, a 2025 review advises regular cleaning with mild soap and cool water, avoiding high heat, and checks of fit and integrity, for example at 6 months and annually, with a new appliance if it shows cracks or loss of fit, or the teeth change.
Can a night guard help protect bonding and crowns?
Possibly. The NHS says night guards protect teeth from damage, but none of the studies cited on this page measured how well a guard protects bonding or crowns. A 2011 critical review concluded that bruxism may be included among the risk factors in prosthetic treatment and is associated with more mechanical and technical complications.
When prosthetic treatment is planned for someone who grinds, the review's authors advised efforts to reduce the effects of likely heavy biting loads on every part of the restoration. Implants are covered on our page about dental implants and teeth grinding.
How grinding affects bonded teeth is covered on composite bonding if you grind your teeth, and day-to-day care of bonding on looking after composite bonding. What affects how long a crown lasts is explained on how long dental crowns last.
Are night guards offered at Deepcar Dental Care?
Yes. Deepcar Dental Care offers night guards for patients who grind.
For composite bonding patients who grind, a night guard is required and is charged separately.
How much does a night guard cost?
Night guards have no line on the Deepcar Dental Care fee list, as read on 25 October 2026.
When should you speak to your dentist about grinding?
Speak to a dentist if grinding damages your teeth or causes pain, or a night guard no longer fits well. The NHS advises seeing a dentist if you grind your teeth and have tooth damage or sensitive teeth, if you grind your teeth and have pain in your jaw, face or ear, if your partner says you're grinding your teeth in your sleep, or if you're worried about your child grinding their teeth. It advises seeing a GP if you need help with some of the causes of teeth grinding, such as stress, anxiety, smoking, drinking too much or taking drugs.
Frequently asked questions
Does a night guard stop teeth grinding?
No. A 2011 review found no known treatment to stop bruxism, including prosthetic treatment. In a 2025 study with no comparison group, 16 people with sleep bruxism wore hard acrylic upper splints for 18 months. The authors wrote the splints may help reduce wear, but measurable wear still occurred, and advised adding behavioural and dietary advice and regular monitoring.
Should you mention snoring or sleep apnoea before getting a night guard?
Possibly, a 2004 pilot suggests. In 10 people with sleep apnoea, one night with an upper splint raised breathing disturbances over 50% in 5, though not significantly overall. NHS advice: see a GP with any main sleep apnoea symptom, such as breathing that stops and starts, gasping, snorting or choking noises in sleep, or always feeling very tired by day.
Does a night guard help with clenching during the day?
Unclear: the 2007 Cochrane review of occlusal splints included only people with sleep bruxism. Night guards are worn at night, the NHS says, and grinding and clenching can also happen while you are awake. Awake and sleep grinding are compared on our page about teeth grinding and clenching.
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Contact Deepcar Dental Care online or by phone, 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday. The practice is at 334 Manchester Road, Deepcar, Sheffield, S36 2RH, on the ground floor, wheelchair accessible and with free parking directly outside. Patient feedback is in our patient reviews.
Night guards are one part of managing teeth that are wearing down, a condition that can progress over time. Tooth wear care is part of repairing and rebuilding damaged teeth, the branch of dentistry focused on keeping natural teeth wherever possible.
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