Custom Night Guards & TMJ Care in Clearwater, FL
Grinding your teeth at night quietly destroys enamel, crowns, and veneers — and leaves you waking up with a sore jaw. A custom-fitted night guard from Dr. Cannady protects your smile while you sleep.
Teeth Grinding Is Silent — the Damage Isn't
Nighttime teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism) puts enormous force on your teeth for hours at a time, while you're completely unaware of it. Over months and years it flattens chewing surfaces, chips enamel, cracks fillings and crowns, and strains the jaw joints and muscles.
Most patients find out from their dentist, not from the mirror: Dr. Cannady spots the wear patterns during a routine exam and shows you exactly what's happening with high-quality images, so you can decide about protection before a tooth actually breaks.
The fix is refreshingly simple. A custom night guard (occlusal guard) is a slim, durable appliance made precisely for your teeth that absorbs grinding forces so your enamel and dental work don't have to.
Signs You Grind Your Teeth at Night
If any of these sound familiar, mention them at your next visit — or make one. Catching bruxism early protects both your natural teeth and your dental work.
Sore Jaw in the Morning
Waking with jaw tightness, facial muscle fatigue, or a dull headache around the temples is a classic sign of nighttime clenching.
Flattened or Shortened Teeth
Grinding wears the biting edges down over time — teeth start to look level, short, or "aged."
Chips, Cracks & Broken Fillings
Repeated fractures in teeth, fillings, or crowns without an obvious cause usually point to grinding forces at night.
Tooth Sensitivity
Worn enamel exposes the softer layers underneath, making teeth sensitive to hot, cold, and sweets.
Clicking or Popping Jaw
Sounds or catching in the jaw joint when you chew or yawn can signal strain on the TMJ from clenching and grinding.
Someone Heard You
A partner who hears grinding sounds at night is often the first diagnosis — take it seriously before a tooth pays the price.
A Night Guard Made for Your Teeth — Not "One Size Fits Most"
Custom Fit From Precise Impressions
Your guard is fabricated from exact impressions of your teeth, then fitted and adjusted by Dr. Cannady so your bite rests in a healthy position. It stays put all night and is slim enough to sleep in comfortably.
Why Drugstore Guards Fall Short
Boil-and-bite guards fit loosely, wear through fast, and aren't designed around your bite — some can even shift teeth over time. Protection you'll wear nightly for years deserves a proper fit.
TMJ Evaluation & Honest Answers
Jaw pain, clicking, and tension headaches often trace back to clenching. Dr. Cannady evaluates your bite and jaw, starts with conservative appliance therapy where appropriate, and refers complex TMJ cases to a trusted specialist — coordinated every step of the way.
Protect Your Investment
If you've invested in veneers, crowns, implants, or a full mouth reconstruction, a night guard is the cheapest insurance that work will last.
Already Worn or Cracked a Tooth?
A night guard prevents future damage — but if grinding has already flattened, chipped, or cracked your teeth, Dr. Cannady restores them first. A single damaged tooth may need a filling or crown; heavily worn smiles can be rebuilt comprehensively with full mouth reconstruction, then protected with your new guard so the results last.
A cracked tooth that hurts right now shouldn’t wait for a night guard appointment — call our emergency dentist in Clearwater at (727) 441-3523 for a same-day visit whenever possible.
Night Guard & TMJ FAQs
What Clearwater patients ask about grinding, night guards, and jaw pain.