Patient Information

Night Guard Home Instructions

  • When cleaning your night guard, use only cool water. Hot water can distort the shape rendering it unusable. Brush your appliance each morning with soap, not toothpaste. Toothpaste can cause microscopic scratches trapping odor causing bacteria to become trapped in your appliance.
  • You should hit evenly where your teeth come into contact with the night guard. If your bite becomes uneven or divots are worn into the biting surface of the night guard, call us to schedule an adjustment appointment.
  • After removing your night guard in the mornings, you might notice that your teeth do not fit together right. This means that your muscles have “lost memory” and need a few minutes to remember. Tap your teeth together a few times and it should go back to normal.
  • Occasionally, your teeth will not fit back together as they did before wearing the night guard. If this occurs it will be necessary to evaluate your teeth to even out your bite.
  • Over time you will wear the night guard down. The amount of wear solely depends on each person and how severely they clench and grind their teeth. Replacement of night guards is required throughout your lifetime; imagine the wear you are avoiding on your teeth.