Home > Services > General & Preventive Dentistry > Night Guards
You can grind or clench your teeth at night without realizing it. The first clue is often a partner hearing the sound, a chipped tooth, a damaged filling, or wear that we notice during an examination. We evaluate your teeth, bite, and jaw movement before recommending a custom appliance.
A custom night guard creates a protective barrier between your upper and lower teeth, reducing direct tooth-to-tooth wear and distributing forces across the appliance. We help you address:
Clinical Finding | What We Examine | How a Night Guard Fits the Plan |
|---|---|---|
Worn Tooth Surfaces | Whether wear is active and if acid erosion or brushing also contributed | Protects remaining tooth structure from direct grinding contact |
Damaged Restorations | Whether chipped crowns or fractured fillings need prior repair | Protects completed dental work from future breakdown |
Morning Jaw Fatigue | Muscle tenderness, jaw movement, and bite contacts | Helps reduce muscle load during sleep clenching |
Sleep Grinding Sounds | Tooth wear, muscle findings, and sleep history | Shields teeth while identifying if additional medical evaluation is needed |
We check your teeth, bite, jaw joints, and existing restorations for signs of wear, fractures, or muscle tenderness.
We take precise impressions or digital scans of your teeth to ensure the appliance is designed specifically around your bite.
We verify that the guard seats securely and contacts your opposing teeth comfortably, providing instructions on wear and home care.
When Dr. Mohammad Hammoud took over this Michigan Avenue practice, he built its preventive and protective services around precision diagnostics and honest communication. Store-bought night guards can be bulky, loose, and ill-fitting because they are made without an evaluation of your bite. At 313 Dental, we design custom occlusal guards that match your exact dental architecture, ensuring your teeth and restorations receive safe, comfortable protection.
Proper daily care extends the lifespan of your custom night guard and keeps your appliance hygienic:
No. A night guard primarily protects the teeth from direct contact and helps manage the forces created by grinding or clenching. It does not reliably eliminate the underlying habit.
It can help in selected cases, but jaw pain has many possible causes. We examine the teeth, muscles, joints, and bite before deciding whether an appliance is appropriate. More info at: TMJ & Occlusion
Neither is automatically better. The choice depends on your teeth, bite, dental work, comfort, and the design needed to protect the affected areas.
Many people adapt over several nights, while others need more time or an adjustment. Contact us if the guard causes persistent soreness, loosens, or changes how your bite feels after removal.
If you have noticed tooth wear, morning jaw soreness, or signs of nighttime grinding, contact our Dearborn team today to schedule your evaluation.
Reviewed by Dr. Mohammad Hammoud, DMD – 313 Dental, Dearborn, MI
