Jaw and muscle assessment
Dr. Lee evaluates jaw movement, muscle tenderness, joint symptoms, and whether clenching or grinding is contributing to the problem.
Night guards for teeth grinding in Seattle
A night guard is an oral appliance designed to protect teeth and restorations from selected clenching or grinding forces during sleep.
Dr. Jaime Lee evaluates tooth wear, fractures, jaw-muscle symptoms, bite relationships, and existing dental work before deciding whether an appliance addresses the problem.
Bruxism and bite protection
Why is a night guard prescribed?
Clenching and grinding can load teeth, restorations, and jaw muscles repeatedly, but not every patient with jaw symptoms or tooth wear needs the same appliance.
The diagnosis determines whether a guard is intended primarily for tooth protection, muscle or joint management, or another defined purpose.
- Protect teeth from selected grinding forces
- Reduce direct loading on restorations
- Evaluate wear patterns and fractures
- Coordinate appliance design with jaw and bite findings
What happens at a night guard evaluation?
Tooth and restoration wear
Wear facets, fractures, damaged restorations, and bite contacts help define what the appliance needs to protect.
Appliance selection
The design should follow the diagnosis and treatment goal rather than assigning the same guard to every patient who reports grinding.
How do I get a custom night guard?
- Define the problem. Dr. Lee identifies whether the main concern is tooth wear, restoration damage, muscle symptoms, jaw pain, or another finding.
- Evaluate the bite and jaw. Tooth contacts, wear patterns, jaw movement, and muscle or joint symptoms are examined.
- Select the appliance goal. The guard design should match the treatment goal, whether that is protecting teeth and restorations, changing how forces are distributed, or supporting another diagnosed need.
- Monitor the response. Fit, wear, bite, jaw symptoms, and condition of the protected teeth are reevaluated over time.
Do I need a night guard?
Dr. Lee may recommend a custom dental guard for patients who grind or clench their teeth, have significant tooth wear, have repeated damage to dental work, or have certain jaw-muscle symptoms.
Dr. Lee connects the appliance design to measured tooth wear, bite, restoration risk, and jaw findings rather than prescribing a guard from symptoms alone.
What are the signs of teeth grinding?
Schedule an evaluation if you notice progressive tooth wear, repeated chipping, morning jaw-muscle soreness, or recurrent damage to dental restorations.
Dr. Lee connects the symptoms with tooth wear, restoration damage, muscle findings, or another measurable reason before prescribing an appliance.
What affects the cost of a custom night guard?
Cost depends on examination, records, appliance design, fabrication, adjustments, and insurance benefits.
PPO insurance
Smile Art accepts all PPO insurance.
Contact the office with your plan details to ask about coverage and network participation.
Dr. Lee explains the type of guard she recommends and how it is made before treatment begins.
Third-party financing
Available through:
- CareCredit
- Cherry
- LendingClub
Financing is subject to the provider’s approval and terms.
Who provides your care at Smile Art?
Dr. Jaime Lee has advanced training in TMD and orofacial pain and uses that training to evaluate the relationship between grinding, tooth wear, bite, and jaw symptoms before selecting an appliance.
Frequently asked questions
Does everyone who grinds their teeth need a night guard?
No. Dr. Lee should connect the appliance to measurable tooth wear, restoration risk, jaw symptoms, or another defined clinical need.
Can a night guard stop grinding?
A guard primarily changes how forces are distributed and protects selected structures; it should not be described as a guaranteed cure for bruxism.
Can a night guard help jaw pain?
It can in selected cases, but jaw pain has several possible causes and should be evaluated before an appliance is prescribed.
How is a custom guard different from a store-bought one?
A custom appliance is designed from the patient's dental record and can account for the actual bite and treatment goal.
What determines the design of a night guard?
The design follows the treatment goal, bite, tooth wear, restorations, jaw findings, and the structures the appliance is intended to protect.
Does insurance cover night guards?
Coverage varies by plan and by the diagnosis supporting the appliance.
Where is our Seattle dental office?
Smile Art is at 901 Boren Ave, Suite 1030, Seattle, WA 98104. We welcome new patients from Seattle and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Smile Art by Dr. Jaime Lee901 Boren Ave, Suite 1030
Seattle, WA 98104
Seattle, WA 98104
HoursMonday–Thursday, 8:00am–4:00pm
Phone(206) 325-7200
The Cabrini Medical Tower garage entrance is at 1010 Marion St. The building entrance is on Boren Ave; Dr. Lee is in Suite 1030. Parking for a Smile Art visit does not require validation. Directions to the garage. Check posted rates when you park.