Northern Smiles Dentistry Preventive
Night Guards & Retainers in North Phoenix, AZ
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Made From Your Own Teeth
Custom appliances are made from impressions of your mouth, so they fit closely and stay put. That is the difference between one you wear and one that ends up in a drawer.
Protects Work You Paid For
Grinding wears enamel and chips fillings, crowns and veneers. A night guard is far cheaper than replacing the restorations it protects.
Replacement Retainers Too
Lost or broken retainer after orthodontic treatment? We can take new impressions and have a replacement made before your teeth have time to drift.
Grinding And Clenching
Do you grind your teeth without knowing it?
Most people who grind their teeth at night have no idea they do it. They find out because a partner hears it, or because we point out the wear pattern at a checkup — flattened edges, small chips along the biting surfaces, or teeth that have become sensitive without any decay to explain it.
Other signs are a sore jaw or a dull headache on waking, and teeth that ache when you first bite down in the morning.
Grinding does not stop on its own, and enamel does not grow back. A night guard does not cure the habit — it puts a layer of acrylic between your teeth so the guard takes the wear instead of your enamel.
Custom vs Store-Bought
Why a fitted guard is worth the difference
Boil-and-bite guards from a pharmacy are bulky, loosen as the material relaxes, and are commonly spat out or removed in sleep without the wearer noticing. A guard that is not in your mouth at 3am is not protecting anything.
A custom guard is made from impressions of your own teeth, so it holds its position and is thin enough to tolerate. We also check it against your bite, which a stock guard cannot account for.
For sport, the same logic applies. A custom mouthguard is the one people actually keep in, and it is fitted around the teeth it is protecting. We make these for adults and, through our pediatric dentistry, for children in contact sports.
Night guards
for grinding and clenching, worn while you sleep
Sports mouthguards
custom-fitted for contact sport, adults and children
Retainers
new and replacement retainers after orthodontic treatment
Retainers
Replacing a lost or broken retainer
Teeth drift back toward where they started. That is the single most common way people undo completed orthodontic treatment, and it happens faster than most expect — a retainer left out for a few weeks can already feel tight when it goes back in.
If yours is lost, cracked or no longer seats properly, do not wait to see whether it matters. Come in, we will take impressions and have a replacement made. If it still fits but is uncomfortable, bring it with you — sometimes it only needs adjusting.
If you are in treatment with us, retention is covered as part of your clear aligner or orthodontic plan and we will go through it before you finish.
Care
Looking after an appliance so it lasts
Rinse it when you take it out and brush it gently with a soft brush — no toothpaste, which is abrasive enough to scratch the acrylic and make it cloudy. Let it dry before it goes in the case.
Keep it away from heat. A guard left on a dashboard or washed in hot water will warp, and a warped appliance no longer fits. Never wrap one in a napkin: that is how most of them end up in the bin.
Bring it to your checkups. We will look at the wear on it, which tells us whether the grinding is changing, and check that it still seats correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a custom night guard cost? +
We quote after taking a look, because it depends on the type of guard and how your bite is behaving. Many PPO dental plans contribute toward a night guard when grinding is causing damage — bring your card and we will check your benefits before booking. It is worth weighing against the cost of replacing worn or chipped restorations, which is what a guard is preventing.
Is a store-bought night guard good enough? +
It is better than nothing for a short period, but it is bulky, loosens as the material relaxes, and is often removed during sleep without the wearer realizing. A custom guard is made from impressions of your teeth, so it stays seated and is thin enough that people actually keep wearing it.
How do I know if I grind my teeth? +
Most people do not know until someone tells them or we see it. The signs we look for are flattened or chipped biting edges, sensitivity without decay to explain it, and wear that does not match your age. A sore jaw or a dull headache in the morning is often the first thing patients notice themselves.
How quickly can I get a replacement retainer? +
Come in and we will take impressions, then the retainer is made from those. Do not put it off waiting to see whether your teeth move — they do, and the further they drift the less likely a new retainer will seat comfortably on the first attempt.
Will a night guard stop me grinding? +
No, and it is not meant to. Grinding is usually driven by stress, sleep patterns or bite issues. The guard protects your teeth from the consequences while those are addressed. If we think your bite is contributing, we will say so — that is a separate conversation from protecting the enamel you still have.
Other services
More ways our Phoenix team can help.
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Troy Stansberry, D.D.S.
Dr. Troy Stansberry grew up in Phoenix, AZ and attended Creighton University for his bachelors, and Creighton School of Dentistry for his D.D.S. degree.
Meet Dr. StansberryBook Now
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Feel free to contact us at Northern Smiles Dentistry with any questions or concerns
Opening Hours
- Monday 07:30 AM - 4:00 PM
- Tuesday 08:30 AM - 5:30 PM
- Wednesday 07:30 AM - 2:00 PM
- Thursday 07:30 AM - 3:00 PM
- Friday 07:30 AM - 2:00 PM
- Saturday - Sunday Closed
