Custom nightguards.

Most patients who grind or clench (the technical term is bruxism) don’t know they’re doing it. The first signs Dr. Agrawal usually catches are flat wear patterns on the back teeth, fine cracks in the enamel, a sore jaw in the morning, or unexplained headaches around the temples. Sometimes a partner mentions the grinding sound at night. By the time the wear is visible on the teeth, the habit has been going on for years.

The good news is that a custom-fit nightguard can stop the damage cold. Worn while you sleep, the guard absorbs the grinding force that would otherwise wear down your enamel, fracture old fillings, or chip a crown. It also takes pressure off the jaw joints, which for many patients resolves the morning soreness within a few weeks.

Why custom — not the drugstore kind

The boil-and-bite guards sold at the pharmacy fit roughly. They tend to be bulky, fall out at night, and don’t distribute bite force evenly — which can actually make jaw soreness worse. A custom guard is made from a precise impression of your teeth and the way your bite closes. The fit is snug, the material is durable, and the bite is balanced so the joint isn’t strained. Most custom guards last several years.

TMJ — when the joint itself is sore

If you have ongoing jaw joint pain, clicking, or limited opening, the issue may be the temporomandibular joint itself rather than the wear pattern on your teeth. Dr. Agrawal can evaluate your joint at a regular exam and talk through whether a nightguard is the right first step or whether further evaluation is needed. Often just relieving the nighttime clenching is enough to settle the joint down considerably.

A note on snoring and sleep apnea

Heavy nighttime grinding and clenching are sometimes linked to sleep-disordered breathing. If you snore loudly, wake up tired despite full nights of sleep, or have been told by a partner that you stop breathing at night, please mention it. We’ll refer you to a physician for proper sleep evaluation — treating sleep apnea matters far more than treating the grinding alone.