Protecting You While You sleep
You never know when you need a night guard – and it might be more common than you think. Find out more about the 5 possible reasons you may need one.
What Is A Night Guard?
In summary, a night guard is a custom-made dental protection device, which you wear over your teeth, to prevent them from grinding and clenching while you sleep.
This is important because if you grind too much, your teeth will start to lose its function over time, causing a lot more dental issues.
Some commonly heard names also include: mouth guard, dental guard, bite splint, or occlusal guard.
So, What Are The Signs?
In general, we have seen 5 categories in which you may need a night guard. As you might know, prolonged teeth grinding can have adverse effects on your dentition, and it’s best to prevent them if possible.
Bruxism from General Stress
Many people grind or clench their teeth while sleeping, often without realizing it. There is a wide range of causes, but often it is due to stress. Prolonged clenching leads to tooth wear, sensitivity, jaw pain, headaches, and even damaged teeth.
Injury Prevention
If you tend to clench your jaw, you might chip, crack or damage your teeth. A night guard would help to cushion your teeth and protect them from such unwanted damages.
Alleviating TMJ (Jaw Pain)
For many people with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues or disorders, a night guard often helps reduce the cause resultant pain in the jaw, neck, or face, by reducing the strain on the jaw muscles and providing muscular relief.
Reduce Effects From Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea occurs when your breathing becomes intermittent while asleep. In some milder cases, a night guard might help recover air intake into the body, by slightly repositioning the jaw, keeping the airway open.
Reducing Headaches/Migraines
Headaches are often a result of bruxism (teeth grinding) and jaw clenching in general. As such, solving the bruxism from the root, by having a night guard, might help alleviate some of these painful headaches and migraines.
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Cost & Subsidies
At Excel Dental, we are on various government subsidies and insurance schemes, so that can strive to cover you as much as possible.
For details of each scheme, please enquire with our clinic staff directly.
Why Do Your Night Guard at Excel Dental?
Reasonable Costs and Friendly Dentists
At Excel Dental, we price ourselves for the general public of Singapore, our nation that we are proud to serve. Our dentists and dental care assistants are also highly well-liked by patients, as seen by our countless 5-star reviews over the years.
Fast Turnaround Time
Due to innovations in the latest dental technologies, we are able to deliver our night guards to patients at a quick turnaround time. We fully understand the urgent needs some patients have, and this is just one of the many ways we tap on the advantages of technology to serve you better.
Convenient Dental Clinic At Downtown East & Sembawang
Excel Dental has two clinics located conveniently in the East (Pasir Ris Downtown East) and North (inside Sembawang MRT Station). These locations are central areas of their neighbourhood, and are highly accessible by public transport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore the FAQs that we often answer, if you have any queries!
Why Is A Night Guard Needed?
A night guard protects your teeth and jaw from the effects of bruxism (teeth grinding) or clenching while you sleep. Grinding can wear down your teeth, cause jaw pain or headaches, and exacerbate temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues. By wearing a night guard, you cushion your teeth and relieve stress on the jaw muscles and joint—ultimately preventing long-term damage and discomfort.
What Is The Process Of Getting A Night Guard?
At Excel Dental, we will start with an Initial Appointment where our dentist will examine your teeth and jaw condition, to decide if a night guard will help. The dentist will also be taking an impression mold and various digital scans of your teeth to design a custom-fitted night guard. This appointment typically takes about 30 minutes.
Next, fabrication, where we will create the guard via the latest technology available, which speeds up the process with zero compromise to quality.
Finally, Fitting Appointment: when the night guard is ready, we will ask you to come in to try it on, and our team will make any adjustments needed to ensure a good fit.
Generally, this whole process takes just 2 visits, 30 minutes each, and most patients are done within 7-10 days.
How Long Is The Waiting Time?
It usually takes 1-2 weeks from the day we take your impressions until your custom night guard is ready. It varies from case to case, which our dentist will advise you accordingly.
How Much Does A Night Guard Cost?
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What Are The Criteria For The Various Government Subsidies?
In most cases, CHAS and Medisave claims would apply. However, the subsidies are often subject to various T&Cs as well as policy changes by the government. We strongly advise you to call or WhatsApp our clinics for a more accurate picture of the subsidies you might qualify for.
What Is TMJ?
TMJ stands for the Temporomandibular Joint, which connects your jawbone to your skull. This joint facilitates movements like chewing and speaking. When it functions improperly or becomes strained, you may experience symptoms like jaw pain, clicking sounds, headaches, or difficulty opening and closing your mouth. A night guard can help alleviate pressure on this joint during sleep.
What Is Bruxism?
Bruxism is the involuntary grinding or clenching of teeth, often during sleep. Over time, it can wear down tooth enamel, chip or crack teeth, cause heightened tooth sensitivity, and lead to headaches or jaw pain. A night guard is one of the most effective ways to cushion the teeth and minimize the harmful effects of bruxism.
Can I Choose The Size Of My Night Guard?
Night guards are custom-made to fit the shape of your mouth, so “choosing a size” doesn’t really apply. We take an impression or digital scan to ensure your guard fits comfortably. During your fitting appointment, we’ll adjust it if needed so that it stays in place and feels comfortable for you.
Do You Have Any Questions?
Simply contact us via WhatsApp or phone, and we will be happy to answer them or help you schedule an appointment!
