Night Guard for Teeth Grinding in Clapham: Protect Your Teeth While You Sleep
Reviewed by Dr Bozhidar Donkov (GDC 262434), Dentist at SW11 Medical Clinic, Clapham Junction
Published: July 2026
Do you wake up with a tight jaw, a dull headache around your temples, or teeth that feel strangely tender? Has a partner mentioned a grinding or clicking sound coming from your side of the bed? You may be one of the many adults who grind or clench their teeth at night — often without knowing it — and London’s high-stress lifestyle makes the problem remarkably common. A custom-made night guard for teeth grinding in Clapham is the simplest, most effective way to protect your teeth from this silent damage. At SW11 Medical Clinic, two minutes from Clapham Junction, we diagnose grinding and fit precision night guards at prices well below Central London practices.
What Is Bruxism — and What Does a Night Guard Do?
Bruxism is the medical term for grinding or clenching your teeth, most commonly during sleep. Because it happens unconsciously, most people only discover it through its consequences: flattened or chipped teeth, enamel worn so thin that teeth become sensitive, cracked fillings, aching jaw muscles, morning headaches, and clicking or pain in the jaw joint (the TMJ). The forces involved are substantial — night grinding can generate far greater pressure than normal chewing, concentrated on tooth surfaces for hours at a time. Stress and anxiety are the most common drivers, alongside sleep disorders, caffeine and alcohol in the evening, and certain medications.
A night guard (also called an occlusal splint or bite guard) is a slim, custom-made appliance, usually of hard-wearing dental acrylic, that fits precisely over your upper or lower teeth while you sleep. It does not stop the grinding habit itself — but it transforms its consequences. Instead of enamel grinding against enamel, the guard absorbs and redistributes the forces, protecting teeth, fillings, crowns and veneers, and allowing overworked jaw muscles to relax.
It is worth being clear about the difference between a custom guard and the boil-and-bite versions sold online. Shop-bought guards are bulky, fit poorly, often get chewed through within months, and in some cases can even make jaw problems worse by holding the bite in the wrong position. A custom guard is made from precise digital or physical impressions of your own teeth, is comfortable enough to wear every night, and typically lasts for years.
Who Needs a Night Guard?
You are a strong candidate if you have been told you grind at night, or if you notice morning jaw stiffness, temple headaches, unexplained tooth sensitivity, flattened biting edges, chipped enamel or repeatedly broken fillings. Dentists frequently spot bruxism before patients do — the wear pattern on your teeth is unmistakable during a routine check-up.
A night guard is particularly important if you have invested in cosmetic or restorative dentistry. Grinding is one of the fastest ways to destroy veneers (from £950), crowns (from £850) or composite bonding, and we routinely recommend a guard to protect that investment. People in high-pressure jobs, heavy evening screen-users, and anyone with diagnosed sleep issues also feature heavily among our bruxism patients in Clapham and Battersea.
Getting Your Custom Night Guard at SW11 Medical Clinic
Step 1 — Assessment. Dr Donkov or Dr Skorski examines your teeth for wear patterns, checks your jaw muscles and joints, and rules out other causes of your symptoms. We also look for damage that needs repairing first — there is little point protecting a cracked filling.
Step 2 — Impressions. We take accurate impressions or digital scans of your teeth and record how your jaws meet. This takes a few comfortable minutes.
Step 3 — Custom fabrication. A dental laboratory crafts your guard to the exact contours of your teeth, in a slim, durable material suited to the severity of your grinding.
Step 4 — Fitting. About one to two weeks later, we fit the guard, check the bite is perfectly balanced and adjust it until it is genuinely comfortable — the single biggest factor in whether people actually wear their guard.
Step 5 — Review. We check the guard at your routine examinations, monitor your wear patterns and adjust or repair the guard as needed over the years.
Night Guard Cost Comparison in London
| Provider | Custom Night Guard |
|---|---|
| Harley Street practices | £350–£800 |
| Central London average | £250–£500 |
| NHS Band 3 | £326.70 — where available; many practices do not offer guards on the NHS and waits are long |
| SW11 Medical Clinic, Clapham | Quoted at your assessment — consistently below Central London prices |
The comparison that really matters is guard versus damage. A night guard costs a few hundred pounds and lasts years. Unprotected grinding routinely leads to cracked teeth needing crowns (from £850), destroyed nerves needing root canal treatment (from £395), and in severe cases full-mouth rehabilitation costing many thousands. A guard is the cheapest insurance policy in dentistry.
Results: What to Expect
Most patients adapt to wearing their guard within a few nights and quickly stop noticing it. Morning jaw ache and temple headaches usually improve within one to two weeks as the muscles are allowed to relax, and tooth sensitivity from wear often settles over the following weeks. The most important result is the one you do not see: the wear on your teeth stops progressing, and your fillings, crowns and veneers are shielded from night-time forces. You will notice light polish marks appearing on the guard over time — visible proof of the damage it is absorbing on behalf of your teeth. With normal grinding, a well-made hard acrylic guard lasts three to five years or more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a night guard cost in Clapham?
At SW11 Medical Clinic your guard is quoted at your assessment based on the type and material you need, and our prices are consistently below the £250–£500 typical of Central London and the £350–£800 charged around Harley Street. The assessment itself forms part of a standard examination visit.
How do I know if I grind my teeth at night?
Classic signs are morning jaw stiffness, dull temple headaches, tooth sensitivity, flattened or chipped biting edges and reports of grinding noises from a partner. A dentist can confirm bruxism in minutes by examining the wear patterns on your teeth — many patients are diagnosed at a routine check-up before they have noticed anything themselves.
Are shop-bought night guards any good?
Boil-and-bite guards from pharmacies or online are bulky, poorly fitting and short-lived, and heavy grinders often chew through them in weeks. Because they do not position your bite correctly, they can occasionally worsen jaw joint symptoms. A custom guard fits precisely, is far more comfortable to sleep in, and lasts years rather than months.
Will a night guard stop me grinding?
No appliance stops the grinding habit itself, which is driven by the brain during sleep — often linked to stress. What a night guard does is make the grinding harmless by absorbing the forces that would otherwise wear down your teeth. Managing stress, limiting late caffeine and alcohol, and good sleep habits can reduce the grinding itself.
How do I look after my night guard?
Rinse it with cold water and brush it gently with a soft toothbrush each morning, store it dry in its ventilated case, and bring it to your dental check-ups so we can inspect the fit and wear. Avoid hot water, which can distort the material.
Your teeth take enough punishment during the day — don’t let them fight each other all night. Book a bruxism assessment at SW11 Medical Clinic today. Call 020 7585 2276 or book online. We are located at 45 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5QW, two minutes’ walk from Clapham Junction station.
SW11 Medical Clinic — Private dental and medical care in the heart of Clapham.