Jaw tightness
Stiffness, fatigue, or aching on waking or after periods of concentration.
Teeth grinding and clenching can contribute to tooth wear, fractures, sensitivity, headaches, and jaw symptoms. Ivy Dental assesses the pattern and provides custom occlusal splints for selected patients at Everton Park and Nundah. A splint protects teeth but may not treat every cause of bruxism.
Grinding and clenching
Protect the teeth. Investigate the pattern.
A custom night guard may reduce damage from grinding or clenching. The assessment also looks for existing wear, cracked teeth, jaw symptoms, and reasons a guard may not be the whole answer.
Protection is not the same as a cure. A guard can separate and protect teeth, but it may not stop the grinding behaviour or address every contributor.
From $650Dental assessmentOngoing review
The useful distinction
A guard protects. It may not stop the behaviour.
Grinding and clenching are patterns, not one single disease with one single cause. A dental splint may reduce tooth-to-tooth damage and distribute load, while other contributors can require medical, sleep, behavioural, or allied-health assessment.
- 01Confirm that the signs fit grinding or clenching rather than another condition.
- 02Protect vulnerable teeth and dental work when an appliance is appropriate.
- 03Refer or coordinate care when symptoms point beyond the teeth and bite.
Possible signs
The clue is often there in the morning.
No single symptom proves bruxism. Patterns across the teeth, muscles, jaw, sleep history, and daily habits are more useful.
Tooth wear
Flattened edges, chipped enamel, exposed dentine, or changes that progress over time.
Cracks and sensitivity
Pain on biting, temperature sensitivity, or repeated fracture of teeth and restorations.
Head and face symptoms
Morning headaches, temple tenderness, or facial muscle soreness that may have more than one cause.
Reported sleep sounds
A partner may hear grinding, although clenching can be silent.
Dental work under load
Fillings, crowns, veneers, or implants may show wear or repeated mechanical problems.
Before prescribing a guard
Look wider than the bite.
The assessment checks for damage and considers whether the pattern may relate to sleep, stress, medicines, pain, habits, or another condition.
Teeth and restorations
We look for wear, fractures, mobility, sensitivity, and areas carrying heavy load.
Jaw joints and muscles
Movement, tenderness, clicking, locking, and range of opening help define the problem.
Daytime and sleep pattern
Awake clenching and sleep bruxism are not assumed to be the same. Timing and triggers matter.
Health and medicines
Sleep symptoms, medical history, medicines, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and other factors may be relevant.
Need for referral
Persistent headache, sleep-disordered breathing, neurological symptoms, or complex jaw pain may need another clinician.
The Ivy standard
Protect what is vulnerable. Question what is assumed.
A useful bruxism plan separates the evidence of damage from guesses about why it is happening.
- 01Document the baseline
We identify wear, cracks, symptoms, and restorations that need monitoring.
- 02Choose the appliance deliberately
Fit, bite, material, and maintenance are matched to the individual.
- 03Review the whole pattern
If a splint protects the teeth but symptoms persist, the pathway should widen.
Treatment options
Match the response to the finding.
Protection, repair, habit support, and referral can all be appropriate. The plan should not imply that every symptom starts in the bite.
Custom occlusal splint
A fitted acrylic appliance designed to protect teeth and distribute forces during sleep.
- From $650
- Fitted to the current teeth and bite
- Reviewed and adjusted by the dentist
Repair damaged teeth
Cracks, broken fillings, or severe wear may need restoration after the cause, prognosis, and protective strategy are discussed.
- Fillings or bonded repair
- Crowns for selected weakened teeth
- Monitoring when intervention is not yet needed
Address wider contributors
Advice or referral may be appropriate where sleep, stress, pain, medicines, or other health factors appear relevant.
- Awake habit awareness
- Medical or sleep assessment
- Jaw or pain referral where indicated
Appliance choice
Custom and over-the-counter are not equivalent.
The most important difference is not branding. It is whether the appliance fits, stays in place, distributes force, and can be reviewed against your bite.
Custom occlusal splint
Made from records of your teeth and designed for a specific arch, fit, material, and occlusal contact.
- Can be adjusted
- Designed for retention and even contact
- Reviewed for wear and bite change
Pharmacy or boil-and-bite guard
May be bulkier, less retentive, or less even in contact. It cannot account for every dental condition or pattern.
- Fit varies
- May not cover or load teeth evenly
- Seek advice if it increases pain or changes the bite
Stop using an appliance and seek advice if it causes new or worsening jaw pain, tooth pain, looseness, or a persistent change in how the teeth meet.
Indicative fees
Start with assessment, not a product.
A quote depends on the appliance design, records required, current dental health, and whether damaged teeth need treatment.
Custom occlusal splint
From $650Custom-made after dental assessment and records.
Focused dental assessment
From $60Indicative starting fee; imaging or other care may be additional.
Crown for a damaged tooth
From $1,600Only for selected teeth after diagnosis and treatment planning.
Splint adjustment or reline
Quoted after assessmentThe existing appliance and bite need to be checked before a separate adjustment or reline is recommended.
What can change the quote
- Splint design, material, and records
- Number and condition of supporting teeth
- Existing cracks, wear, or failing restorations
- Further imaging, repair, or referral
Your appointment
Bring the pattern, not just the pain.
Tell us when symptoms occur, what makes them better or worse, and whether anyone has heard grinding during sleep.
- 01Bring any current guard or splint, even if it no longer fits.
- 02Tell us about jaw locking, restricted opening, headaches, ear symptoms, or sleep concerns.
- 03Bring a current medicine list and mention changes around the time symptoms began.
- 04We explain whether protection, repair, monitoring, or referral is appropriate.
Honest expectations
A splint can reduce damage without solving every symptom.
Results depend on the diagnosis, appliance use, dental condition, and wider contributors. Reviews are needed because teeth, restorations, and the appliance change over time.
Possible appliance issues
- Initial pressure, salivation change, or difficulty sleeping with the device
- Jaw or tooth discomfort, especially if fit or contacts change
- Wear, fracture, loss, or need for adjustment
- Temporary or persistent change in how the teeth meet
Reasons to widen the pathway
- Snoring, witnessed pauses, or other sleep-apnoea concerns
- Persistent headache, facial pain, locking, or neurological symptoms
- Symptoms linked to a medicine or health change
- Ongoing damage despite appropriate appliance use
Common questions
Answers before you book.
These are general answers. Advice and treatment depend on an individual assessment.
How do I know if I grind or clench my teeth?
Possible signs include morning jaw stiffness, headaches, worn or chipped teeth, tooth sensitivity, enlarged jaw muscles, or a partner hearing grinding. These signs can have other causes, so a dental assessment is useful before choosing a guard.
Does a night guard stop bruxism?
Not necessarily. A custom occlusal splint is mainly used to protect teeth, distribute forces, and support assessment. It may not stop the grinding or clenching behaviour, and it does not treat every underlying contributor.
What can contribute to bruxism?
Sleep bruxism and awake clenching can have different contributors. Stress, sleep disorders, medicines or substances, pain, habits, and other medical or dental factors may be relevant. The pattern should be assessed rather than assumed to come from the bite alone.
How much does a custom night guard cost?
A custom occlusal splint starts from $650. The design, records, adjustments, and condition of the teeth can change the quote. We provide a written fee before fabrication.
Can a pharmacy guard be used instead?
An over-the-counter guard may not fit or distribute force predictably. Some people also find them bulky or difficult to retain. If symptoms are regular, teeth are damaged, or the jaw is painful, an assessment before choosing any appliance is sensible.
Can children grind their teeth?
Yes. Grinding can occur in children and may change with growth or tooth eruption. A guard is not automatically appropriate for a growing child. Assessment is recommended when there is pain, damage, sleep concern, or persistent symptoms.
Choose a clinic
Available at Everton Park and Nundah.
Both clinics are open 7 days. Choose the location that works best for your assessment and follow-up care.
Ivy Dental Brisbane
Everton Park
471 South Pine Road
Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm · Sat and Sun 9am to 5pmBook at Everton ParkIvy Dental Brisbane
Nundah
20 Nellie Street
Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm · Sat and Sun 9am to 5pmBook at NundahA clearer first step
Protect the teeth without oversimplifying the cause.
Book an assessment for grinding, clenching, morning jaw symptoms, or unexplained tooth wear. We will explain what a splint can and cannot do.
Call (07) 3266 7120New facial weakness, severe headache, chest pain, or other acute medical symptoms need urgent medical assessment.