Custom mouthguard fitting at Tooth n Care

Mouthguards & Occlusal Splints

Protecting teeth from sport and sleep

Two different appliances for two different problems: a mouthguard absorbs impact on the field, and a splint protects teeth from the force you generate at night.

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When It’s Needed

You probably need one

You or your child plays football, rugby, hockey, basketball, boxing or any contact sport
You wake with a sore jaw, headaches around the temples, or aching teeth
Your partner has heard you grinding at night
Teeth look flattened, chipped at the edges, or worn shorter than they were
You have unexplained cracked teeth or fillings that keep breaking
Your jaw clicks, catches or feels tired
You’ve invested in crowns, veneers or implants and want to protect them
You snore, or have been diagnosed with mild sleep apnoea (a different appliance again)

At The Appointment

What actually happens

01/

Assessment

We work out which appliance you need. Grinding damage, jaw joint symptoms and sport all point in different directions, and a snoring appliance is a separate design again.

02/

Impressions or scan

A digital scan or impressions of both arches, plus a record of how your teeth meet. Accuracy here is the whole game — a millimetre out and the appliance won’t sit right.

03/

Made to fit you

Built in a dental laboratory to your model. Sports guards can be made in your club colours; splints are made in hard or soft acrylic depending on what we’re treating.

04/

Fitting & adjustment

We check it seats fully, adjust the bite so contact is even, and show you how to insert, clean and store it. Expect a short review after a couple of weeks of wear.

Afterwards

Recovery & aftercare

Rinse in cold water after every use, then brush gently with a soft brush and mild soap — not hot water, which distorts it.
Store dry in its ventilated case, away from heat and out of reach of pets, who love them.
Bring it to every check-up so we can inspect the fit and wear.
A splint can feel bulky for a week or two; most people adapt within a few nights.
Increased salivation at first is normal and settles.
Replace a child’s sports guard as they grow — often each season.
Stop wearing and contact us if you get persistent jaw pain, or if the appliance no longer seats properly.

A custom-made dental splint at Tooth n Care

Alternatives We’d Also Discuss

Other ways to go

Over-the-counter boil-and-bite guards

Cheap and better than nothing on the field, but bulky, loose, harder to breathe and speak through, and they offer measurably less protection. As a night splint they can actively worsen a bite problem.

Managing the cause of grinding

Stress, sleep quality, caffeine, alcohol and some medications all feed bruxism. A splint protects teeth; it doesn’t stop the grinding, so addressing the driver matters too.

Referral for sleep assessment

Loud snoring with daytime tiredness or witnessed pauses in breathing needs a proper sleep study before any oral appliance. We refer for that rather than guess.

Risks & Considerations

The honest downsides

No treatment is risk-free, and you should hear this before you decide rather than afterwards.

A splint protects teeth from grinding — it does not cure the habit, and you may still wake with muscle soreness.
The wrong splint design can worsen jaw joint symptoms or alter your bite. This is why they are made and adjusted individually rather than bought off a shelf.
Appliances wear through and need replacing periodically, more often in heavy grinders.
Poor cleaning leads to bacterial and fungal growth on the appliance, and gum inflammation.
Children outgrow sports guards quickly — an outgrown guard fits poorly and protects poorly.
Snoring appliances can cause tooth movement and bite changes over years of use, and need monitoring.
No mouthguard eliminates the risk of dental injury; it substantially reduces it.

Cost & health funds

A custom appliance costs more than a chemist guard and lasts far longer, fits properly and actually does the job. Most health funds with general dental cover rebate on both mouthguards and splints, claimable on the spot through HICAPS. Some sporting clubs and schools run subsidised fitting days — worth asking.

Fees & payment plans →

Get a written plan

Before anything starts you’ll have a written treatment plan with costs, inclusions and any conditions spelled out, plus an estimate of your health fund rebate checked at the desk.

Book an assessment →

This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for personalised advice from a registered dental practitioner. Any dental or surgical procedure carries risks. Individual results vary. Before proceeding with treatment we encourage you to ask questions and, if you wish, seek a second opinion from a qualified health practitioner.