Night guards and sports mouth guards in Durban North
Guards made from a mould of your own teeth: a night guard if you grind, or a sports guard for rugby, hockey and other contact sport.
Grinding usually happens in your sleep and wears your teeth down over time. A night guard takes that force so your teeth don't, and it can ease the strain on your jaw as well. On the sports field, a sports guard cushions the knocks to your teeth, gums and lips.
When a night guard helps
If any of these sound familiar, a check-up tells you whether a night guard would protect your teeth:
- You wake with a sore or tight jaw, or a headache.
- Someone who shares your room hears you grinding at night.
- Your teeth look worn, flat or chipped, or have become sensitive.
- You catch yourself clenching your teeth during the day.
Custom guard or pharmacy guard: how they compare
What separates them is fit.
Stock guard
Ready-made and sold in pharmacies and sports shops. It isn't shaped to your teeth, so it sits loosely, moves about and is harder to keep in.
Boil-and-bite guard
Softened in hot water, then bitten into at home so it takes the rough shape of your teeth. It fits better than a stock guard, but not as closely as a custom one.
Custom guard (the kind we fit)
Made to the shape of your own teeth, so it fits closely and stays in place, in bed or on the field.
What happens at your appointment
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Step 1: Book
Send us a WhatsApp with a day that suits you. For a sports guard, tell us which sport you play.
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Step 2: Check-up
We check your teeth, gums and bite, look for signs of grinding such as worn or chipped edges, and tell you which guard suits you.
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Step 3: Impression
We take an impression (a mould) of your teeth, and a dental laboratory makes your guard from it.
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Step 4: Fitting
You come back to try the guard in. We check the fit and your bite, and show you how to clean the guard and store it.
Night guards for teeth grinding and clenching
Grinding or clenching your teeth, called bruxism, can happen in your sleep or while you're awake. Our guide explains the signs and causes of teeth grinding.
A night guard, which you may know as a bite guard, bite plate, gum guard, dental guard or occlusal guard, sits between your upper and lower teeth. Ours are thin and firm, so you can sleep in them.
If grinding has already worn or chipped your front teeth, composite bonding can often rebuild the edges once a guard is protecting them. If you have composite veneers or a fibre bridge and you grind, a night guard protects that work too.
Sports mouth guards for rugby, hockey and contact sport
A sports mouth guard is thicker and softer than a night guard, to absorb the shock of a knock or a fall. Wear one for rugby, hockey, boxing, martial arts and any other contact sport. Children need a new one from time to time as their mouths grow.
If a tooth is chipped, broken or knocked out during a game, call us on 031 563 2473. For a knocked-out adult tooth, act quickly:
- hold it by the crown, not the root;
- put it back in its socket, or keep it in milk;
- don't let it dry out.
Never put a knocked-out baby tooth back. If we're closed, take the tooth to a hospital emergency unit. There's more first aid in our guide to a chipped, broken or knocked-out tooth.
How it feels
Having a guard made involves no drilling and no injection. For the impression, a tray of soft material is pressed over your teeth and held there until it sets.
If you're nervous, tell us when you book, and we'll have headphones, a blanket and softer lighting ready from our comfort menu.
Investing in your teeth
We accept medical aid, card and cash, and you can ask about paying in instalments.
Looking after your guard
A few habits keep your guard clean and in shape:
- Rinse it when you take it out.
- Clean it every day with cold water, mild soap and a soft toothbrush.
- Keep it in a vented case, away from heat such as hot water or a hot car.
Booking a night guard or sports guard
Bring your guard along to your check-ups. We look at how it fits and how worn it is, and tell you when it's time for a new one.
Your own night guard and your child's rugby or hockey guard can both be fitted here. See children's dental care.
We're open on Saturdays from 9am to 12pm.
Your questions about night guards and mouth guards
No. It protects your teeth, but the habit carries on. Managing stress, cutting down on caffeine and alcohol and stopping smoking can help, and our guide to teeth grinding covers more.
We give you the cost at your check-up, once we know which guard suits you. Ask your scheme whether it pays for a custom-made guard: our guide to medical aid and dental work lists what to ask.
Until it's worn through, cracked or loose. There's no fixed number of years.
Not a boil-and-bite guard, which isn't suitable with braces. Tell us about the braces when you book, and we'll advise you at the check-up.
Start with a check-up. Grinding is common in children, and many grow out of it by their teens. We look for worn or chipped teeth and ask about pain and headaches, then tell you whether anything needs to be done.
At Durban Dental Care, North Coast Road Medical Centre, 490 Chris Hani Road, Park Hill, Durban North, we fit custom night guards and sports mouth guards. Call 031 563 2473 or send us a WhatsApp to book your check-up.
Book your guard appointment
Related treatments
Check-ups and X-rays
Catch decay and gum problems early. We examine your teeth, gums and mouth, and take X-rays only where they're needed.
Composite bonding
Repair a chipped, worn or uneven front tooth, or close a small gap, with tooth-coloured composite, usually in one visit.
Fibre bridge
Replace one missing tooth with a tooth-coloured bridge built in the chair and bonded to the teeth either side, without surgery.
