Reviewed by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach, FL
A custom nightguard in Pompano Beach from South Florida Smile Spa is a thin, precisely fitted appliance worn over the teeth during sleep so that clenching and grinding wear the guard instead of your enamel. Most people who grind do not know it. They find out from a partner who hears it, from a dentist who sees the flattened edges and hairline cracks, or from waking up with a sore jaw and a dull headache. This page explains how Dr. Berger diagnoses bruxism, when a nightguard is the right answer and when it is not, how a custom guard differs from the one at the drugstore, and what to expect from the two short visits it takes.
Quick answer
A nightguard is a custom-made acrylic appliance that fits over your upper or lower teeth while you sleep and absorbs the force of clenching and grinding, which can reach several hundred pounds per square inch. It protects enamel, crowns and veneers from wear and fracture, and it relieves the jaw-muscle soreness and morning headaches that go with bruxism. At South Florida Smile Spa in Pompano Beach, Dr. Berger makes nightguards from a digital scan or impression of your teeth, chooses hard, soft or dual-layer material to match how you grind, and adjusts the bite so the guard is comfortable to wear every night. It takes two visits about two weeks apart, and a well-made guard lasts several years.
Bruxism
Signs you grind or clench at night
Bruxism is the medical name for grinding or clenching the teeth, and the sleep version is the destructive one because there is no conscious limit on the force. Dr. Berger looks for the pattern, not just the complaint.
- In the mouth: flattened or chipped edges on the front teeth, shiny worn facets on the molars, hairline cracks in enamel, notches at the gumline, broken fillings, and crowns or veneers that keep failing.
- In the muscles and joints: a jaw that is tired or sore on waking, dull headaches at the temples in the morning, enlarged jaw muscles, and clicking or tightness in the jaw joints.
- Elsewhere: tooth sensitivity to cold with no cavity to explain it, a partner who hears the grinding, scalloped edges on the tongue, and ridges on the inside of the cheeks.
- Common triggers: stress, caffeine and alcohol in the evening, some antidepressants, and obstructive sleep apnea, which is why Dr. Berger asks about snoring and daytime tiredness before fitting a guard.
The American Dental Association’s patient page on teeth grinding and jaw pain covers the causes and why a custom-made guard fits better than an over-the-counter one.
Custom nightguard vs. the drugstore kind
| Custom nightguard (dentist-made) | Boil-and-bite guard (store-bought) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Made from a scan or impression of your teeth; snaps on, stays put, no gagging | Softened in hot water and bitten into; bulky, loose, often spat out during sleep |
| Bite | Adjusted so all teeth touch the guard evenly; the jaw can rest in a relaxed position | Uneven contacts; can shift the bite or load one side of the jaw |
| Material | Hard acrylic, soft, or dual-layer, chosen for how you grind | Soft rubbery plastic, which some people chew harder on |
| Thickness | About 2 to 3 mm, trimmed thin where possible | Thicker and bulkier; harder to sleep with |
| Lifespan | Several years, longer for light grinders | A few months to a year |
| Use | Nightly protection for bruxism, TMJ symptoms, and to protect crowns, veneers or implants | Short-term stopgap while a custom guard is being made |
The Process
How a custom nightguard is made: two visits
- Exam and diagnosis. Dr. Berger checks the wear pattern on your teeth, the jaw muscles and joints, and your bite, and asks about sleep, headaches and stress. If a tooth is already cracked or a filling is failing, that is treated first so the guard fits a stable mouth.
- Scan or impression. A digital scan or a conventional impression records your teeth exactly, along with a bite record showing how the jaws meet. Dr. Berger specifies the material and the arch, usually the upper, and the guard is fabricated to that prescription.
- Fit and adjust. About two weeks later the guard is tried in, the fit is checked for snugness without pressure, and the biting surface is adjusted so every tooth touches evenly. This step is what separates a guard you wear from one that sits in a drawer.
- Follow-up. The guard is checked at your regular cleaning and exam for wear and fit, and re-adjusted if the bite changes after new dental work.
Expect the first few nights to feel strange; most patients stop noticing the guard within a week. If it still bothers you after that, come back for an adjustment rather than giving up on it.
Hard, soft or dual-layer: which material
Hard acrylic is the standard for moderate to heavy grinders. It is thin, it lasts, it does not invite chewing, and its smooth surface lets the teeth slide rather than lock, which is what relaxes the jaw muscles. Soft guards are more comfortable at first and are used for light clenchers and for children whose teeth are still moving, but heavy grinders tend to chew through them and some people clench harder on a soft surface. Dual-layer guards have a soft inner lining for comfort and a hard outer shell for durability, and are a good middle ground for patients who could not tolerate a hard guard. Dr. Berger chooses from the wear she sees on your teeth, not from a default.
Nightguards and TMJ pain
Clenching overloads the jaw joints and the muscles that close them, and over months that becomes the aching, clicking and limited opening that patients call TMJ. A nightguard breaks the cycle in two ways: it stops the teeth from locking together, so the muscles cannot clench at full force, and it gives the joint a stable, even resting position overnight. For most patients with muscle-type jaw pain, a well-adjusted guard plus heat, a soft diet for a week or two and stress management brings real relief within a few weeks. Joint problems that do not respond, or that involve locking, are investigated further. Dr. Berger explains the options in her guide to TMJ and jaw pain treatment in Pompano Beach.
Protecting dental work you have already paid for
Porcelain is strong in compression and weak against the sideways shearing of a grinding habit, which is why a grinder’s veneer chips and a grinder’s crown fractures while the same restorations last twenty years in other mouths. For that reason Dr. Berger makes a nightguard part of the plan for patients who grind and are having crowns, veneers, implants or a full mouth reconstruction. The guard is a small cost next to the work it protects, and it is the reason the work keeps looking the way it did the day it was placed.
When a nightguard is not the answer
A guard protects teeth; it does not cure the cause of grinding. If the cause is obstructive sleep apnea, the airway comes first, and a guard alone can make breathing worse in some patients, so Dr. Berger screens for snoring, gasping and daytime sleepiness before fitting one. If the cause is a bite that forces the jaw into a poor position, the bite may need correcting, sometimes with Invisalign or restorative work. If a tooth hurts on biting, that is a crack or an infection, not bruxism, and it needs its own treatment. And if the grinding is daytime clenching at a desk, awareness and habit change do more than an appliance you only wear at night.
Caring for your nightguard
Rinse it in cool water when you take it out and brush it with a soft brush and a little liquid soap, not toothpaste, which scratches acrylic. Let it dry in its case with the lid open; a damp closed case grows bacteria. Soak it once a week in a denture or retainer cleaning tablet. Keep it away from heat, including hot water, car dashboards and dishwashers, which warp it. Bring it to every cleaning so we can check it and clean it professionally. Replace it when it cracks, when it no longer snaps in, or when you have worn through the biting surface.
Cost and insurance
Many dental plans cover a custom nightguard, often at 50 to 80 percent, when bruxism is documented, and some cover a replacement every few years. Our team checks your benefits before the first visit and tells you what you will owe. For patients without coverage the fee is quoted up front, and it is modest compared with the cost of replacing a single cracked molar with a crown or an implant.
Care in Pompano Beach
Why patients choose South Florida Smile Spa for a nightguard
- Diagnosis before appliance. Dr. Berger looks for the cause, including sleep apnea and bite problems, before recommending a guard.
- Material matched to you. Hard, soft or dual-layer, chosen from the wear on your teeth rather than one default for everyone.
- Adjusted to your bite. Even contacts across the guard, checked and refined at the fitting visit and again at your cleanings.
- Built into bigger plans. A guard is part of the plan for every grinder having crowns, veneers, implants or a reconstruction here.
- Insurance handled. Benefits verified before the first visit, with no surprise at checkout.
Patients come to us for a custom nightguard from Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek. If you wake with a sore jaw or your dentist has mentioned wear, call and we will fit the exam into your next visit.
Waking up with a sore jaw
Book an exam. Dr. Berger will check your teeth and jaw for the signs of grinding and tell you whether a custom nightguard, or something else, is the right fix.
South Florida Smile Spa · Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS · 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 · (954) 785-1100
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I grind my teeth at night?
The most reliable signs are the ones a dentist sees: flattened edges on the front teeth, shiny worn spots on the molars, hairline cracks, and restorations that keep breaking. From your side, a sore or tired jaw on waking, morning headaches at the temples, tooth sensitivity with no cavity, and a partner who hears the grinding all point the same way. An exam settles it.
Does a nightguard stop teeth grinding?
It stops the damage, not necessarily the habit. The guard takes the wear and spreads the force so the teeth, crowns and jaw joints are protected, and many patients clench less because the smooth surface does not let the teeth lock. Addressing the causes, such as stress, evening caffeine or alcohol, and sleep apnea, is what reduces the grinding itself.
Upper or lower nightguard: which is better?
Most guards are made for the upper teeth because they are more stable and cover more teeth. A lower guard is chosen for patients with a strong gag reflex, for some bite patterns, or when the upper teeth are heavily restored. Dr. Berger decides from your exam; you never need both.
How long does a custom nightguard last?
A hard acrylic guard typically lasts three to five years, longer for light grinders and shorter for heavy ones. It is checked at each cleaning and replaced when it cracks, loosens, or the biting surface wears through. A store-bought boil-and-bite guard usually lasts a few months.
Can I use a boil-and-bite guard from the pharmacy instead?
As a short-term stopgap, yes. Long term, the bulk and loose fit mean most people stop wearing them, and an uneven bite on a soft guard can load one side of the jaw and make TMJ symptoms worse. A custom guard is thinner, stays in, and has its bite adjusted, which is why it gets worn.
Will a nightguard help my TMJ pain and headaches?
For muscle-type jaw pain and tension headaches from clenching, usually yes, often within a few weeks, when combined with heat, a softer diet and stress management. Joint problems with locking or that do not improve are investigated further. Dr. Berger has written a separate guide to TMJ treatment that explains the options.
Will the nightguard change my bite?
A properly made and adjusted guard does not. It covers the whole arch so the teeth cannot drift, and the biting surface is balanced so no tooth is pushed. Partial guards that cover only the front teeth, and poorly fitting store-bought ones, can move teeth, which is a reason to have the guard made and checked by a dentist.
Can children wear a nightguard?
Grinding is common in children and most outgrow it, so a guard is used only when there is real wear or pain, and then a soft guard is chosen and remade as the teeth change. The more important step in a child who grinds is checking for airway problems and enlarged tonsils, which are common causes at that age.
Do you see patients from outside Pompano Beach?
Yes. Patients come for custom nightguards and TMJ care from Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek and across Broward County. The office is at 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach. Call (954) 785-1100 or request an appointment.