Night splints for teeth grinding
A night splint is a custom-made appliance worn while you sleep, so the forces of grinding land on it instead of on your enamel. It protects teeth and often eases morning jaw ache. It does not stop the grinding itself.
What is night splints?
Grinding and clenching are common. The Victorian Government's Better Health Channel describes about half the population as grinding occasionally and about five per cent doing it regularly, most of it during sleep, where you have no idea it is happening. What a dentist sees first is the wear: biting edges flattening, small chips at the corners of front teeth, fillings and cosmetic work chipping earlier than they should, and teeth that are becoming sensitive as the enamel thins. A night splint is the standard way of protecting teeth from that. It is an appliance made to fit your own teeth and your own bite, usually in a hard material, with the material chosen case by case, worn while you sleep, so the grinding forces land on the appliance rather than on enamel. Many people also find the morning jaw ache settles, because the jaw muscles work differently against a smooth, even surface. What a splint does not do is stop you grinding, and it is worth being clear about that before you spend money on one. The Better Health Channel puts it plainly: a bite splint will help with the symptoms and will not stop you grinding altogether. The habit is driven by what your body does at night, and an appliance in your mouth does not reach that. This matters because expectations decide whether people keep wearing one. Someone told a splint would cure their grinding stops wearing it when they find they are still grinding, and then the protection goes too. The honest version is that a splint is protection, not a cure, and that protection is worth having when the alternative is watching your own teeth get shorter over fifteen years. Where grinding is tied to stress, disturbed sleep or snoring, that part sits with your doctor rather than with us, and we will say so rather than treat it as ours to solve.
When might you need night splints?
Wear that a dentist can see
Flattened biting edges, chipped corners on front teeth, or a wear pattern that has changed since your last visit.
Waking with a sore or tight jaw
Jaw ache or headaches around the temples first thing in the morning that ease as the day goes on.
Dental work that keeps chipping
Fillings, bonding, veneers or crowns that break earlier than expected are often the first sign that grinding is the reason.
Before cosmetic or restorative work is made
If you grind, that changes what material makes sense and whether a splint should be part of the plan from the start rather than after something chips.
Someone has told you they can hear it
A partner hearing grinding at night is often the only warning people get, since the habit itself is silent to the person doing it.
What happens, in short
Assessment
Your dentist looks at the wear pattern, checks how your teeth meet, and rules out other causes of tooth wear such as erosion before recommending an appliance.
Impressions or a scan
Records of your teeth are taken so the appliance can be made to your own bite rather than a generic shape.
The splint is made
The appliance is made by a dental laboratory from your records. It is not something that can be handed over on the day.
Fitting and adjustment
The splint is tried in, checked against how your teeth meet, and adjusted until it sits evenly. Tell us at this appointment if anything feels high or uncomfortable.
Review
It is checked at your regular check-ups, along with the wear it is taking, so it can be adjusted or replaced before it stops doing its job.
What does it cost?
A night splint is $650. You get a written quote before anything is made. Many extras policies contribute towards an appliance, and we claim on the spot through HICAPS, though what comes back depends entirely on your own policy.
You get a written, itemised quote with item numbers before any treatment starts, so you can check it with your health fund. Health funds · Payment options
Does a night splint stop teeth grinding?
No. It protects your teeth from the grinding. The Better Health Channel states that a bite splint helps with the symptoms and will not stop you grinding altogether.
Anyone telling you an appliance cures grinding is overselling it. The value of a splint is that the wear lands on something replaceable instead of on enamel, which does not grow back.
Can I just buy a mouthguard from the chemist?
A boil-and-bite guard is better than nothing in the short term, but it is bulky and it does not match the way your teeth meet.
A guard that does not fit your bite can let teeth move slightly over months of nightly wear, and soft material wears through quickly. If you are going to wear something every night for years, it is worth having one made to your own bite.
How long does a night splint last?
It depends entirely on how hard you grind. Some people wear through one in a couple of years, others keep the same appliance for much longer.
That is the point of it. The splint is taking the wear that would otherwise be taken by your teeth. It is checked at your check-ups so it can be replaced before it stops protecting anything.
Will it be uncomfortable to sleep in?
It feels strange for the first few nights and most people stop noticing it after that.
If it still feels bulky, high or sore after the first week, come back and have it adjusted rather than putting it in a drawer. An appliance that is not being worn protects nothing.
Do children need a night splint?
Usually not. The Better Health Channel notes that because children's teeth and jaws change and grow so quickly, grinding is not usually a damaging habit at that age.
Mention it at your child's check-up so the wear can be watched. Most children grow out of it without any appliance at all.
Symptoms that can lead here
More about night splints
Other questions people ask
How do I clean my splint?
Rinse it and brush it with a toothbrush and cool water each morning, then let it dry before it goes in its case. Hot water can distort it, so avoid boiling water and do not leave it in a hot car.
Where should I keep it during the day?
In its ventilated case, out of direct sunlight, and somewhere the dog cannot reach it. Chewed splints are one of the more common reasons people come back for a replacement.
What if it feels high when I bite?
Come back and have it adjusted. A splint is meant to meet evenly across your teeth, and a high spot is something we can change in a short appointment.
Can I wear it if I have crowns, veneers or implants?
Yes, and it is often exactly why one is recommended. Grinding is the most common reason cosmetic and restorative work chips earlier than expected, so protecting it at night is usually part of the plan.
Is a night splint the same as a sports mouthguard?
No. They are made from different materials for different jobs. A sports mouthguard absorbs and spreads a knock to the face and is worn during sport. A night splint is a hard appliance that takes grinding forces while you sleep. One does not replace the other.
Do I still need it if the jaw ache has gone?
Usually yes. The jaw ache settling is a good sign, but it does not mean the grinding has stopped, and the protection is the reason the splint is there. Your dentist will tell you what the wear is doing at your check-ups.
Will my health fund help with the cost?
Many extras policies contribute towards an appliance, and we claim on the spot through HICAPS. What comes back depends on your policy, your annual limits and how much of them you have already used, so check with your fund rather than relying on an estimate from us.