Grinding your teeth at night: what to do?

Signs to look out for

Night-time grinding is hard to notice yourself. The signs are jaw muscle soreness, pain or tiredness in the morning, headaches when waking, teeth showing significant wear, chipping or fractures, and repeated damage to fillings or crowns. Sometimes a partner has heard the grinding.

These signs do not necessarily mean that you have sleep bruxism. They are reasons to have your teeth and jaw assessed.

Why people grind their teeth

Grinding at night is called sleep bruxism. Bruxism is a complex behaviour influenced by multiple factors, and stress is only one possible contributor. For this reason there is no single simple solution that reliably stops grinding.

What a night guard does and does not do

A hard occlusal splint, or night guard, provides a durable protective surface between the teeth. Its purpose is to protect your teeth, fillings and crowns and to help manage the effects of excessive loading.

A splint does not necessarily stop you clenching or grinding. Current evidence does not show that a splint reliably eliminates bruxism. Not everyone who grinds needs a splint: we always assess first whether one is appropriate for you.

What happens at the appointment

The dentist assesses your teeth, existing restorations, tooth wear, jaw muscles and jaw joints. We discuss your symptoms and dental history and determine whether a splint is appropriate for your individual situation.

If a splint is appropriate, we take a digital scan of your teeth. The splint is made in a UK dental laboratory in two to three weeks. We then fit and adjust it in your mouth, and there is a follow-up four to six weeks later.