Bruxism Protection
Why Is a Custom Night Guard
Better Than a Store-Bought Guard
for Teeth Grinding in Calgary?
Bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching) affects up to 8 to 10% of adults — often during sleep when they have no conscious control. Over time, grinding wears down enamel, fractures teeth, strains jaw muscles, and leads to chronic headaches and TMJ pain. A custom-fitted night guard from Royal Oak Smiles creates a protective barrier between your upper and lower teeth, absorbing and distributing the forces of grinding. Unlike store-bought guards, a lab-fabricated guard fits precisely to your bite, is more comfortable to wear, and lasts significantly longer.
Why Custom Matters
What Are the Steps of Getting a
Custom Night Guard at Royal Oak Smiles?
Precise Impressions
We take detailed impressions of your teeth so your night guard fits perfectly — unlike over-the-counter guards that are bulky and uncomfortable.
Laboratory Fabrication
Your guard is crafted in a dental lab from high-quality hard/soft composite material chosen to match your grinding severity and jaw habits.
Fitting & Adjustments
At your fitting appointment, we check the bite and comfort, making any micro-adjustments so the guard feels natural from the first night.
Long-Term Protection
With proper care, a custom night guard lasts 3 to 5 years — saving you from costly restorations by preventing enamel loss and tooth fractures.
Accepting new patients. Open 7 days a week in Royal Oak, NW Calgary. Call to book →
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
About Night Guards in Calgary
Signs of bruxism that warrant a night guard assessment at Royal Oak Smiles include: morning jaw soreness or headaches, flattened or chipped tooth edges, tooth sensitivity, waking your partner with grinding sounds, or a dentist noting enamel wear at a check-up. Many patients grind without any conscious awareness. During your routine exam, the team at Royal Oak Smiles assesses wear patterns and muscle tenderness — identifying bruxism before it causes significant damage.
Custom night guards from Royal Oak Smiles are fabricated from precise dental impressions, ensuring they fit your teeth exactly. A poorly fitting guard can shift teeth, cause jaw discomfort, or fall out during sleep — making it useless. Over-the-counter boil-and-bite guards are thick, bulky, and do not provide consistent protection across all contact points. A lab-fabricated hard/soft composite guard is more comfortable, more durable, and clinically far more effective.
A well-maintained custom night guard typically lasts 3 to 5 years. Heavy grinders may wear through a guard faster. Royal Oak Smiles recommends bringing your guard to annual check-up appointments so the team can assess remaining material and advise on replacement timing. Replacing a guard before it wears through is far less costly than repairing cracked teeth, failed fillings, or fractured crowns.
Many Alberta dental insurance plans provide partial coverage for custom occlusal guards when bruxism is clinically diagnosed. Royal Oak Smiles submits pre-authorizations to your insurer before fabricating the guard so you know your coverage in advance. Direct billing is available to most major Alberta dental insurance providers. Call (403) 374-6161 to discuss your plan.
Yes. A custom occlusal night guard is a primary treatment tool for TMJ disorder driven by bruxism or muscle tension. By repositioning the jaw in a relaxed, decompressed position and absorbing grinding forces, the guard reduces muscle overactivation and joint loading. Most patients notice improvement in morning jaw stiffness and headaches within 2 to 4 weeks of consistent nightly wear. Royal Oak Smiles also offers comprehensive TMJ assessment for more complex cases.