Written by Dr. Cristian Dunker, BDSc, MBA
After Your Splint or Mouthguard Fitting
A splint or mouthguard is a custom appliance made from a scan or impression of your own teeth. Depending on why it was made, it protects your teeth from grinding and clenching, manages jaw joint symptoms, guards against sporting injury, or holds the lower jaw forward during sleep. It only works if it is worn consistently, so the first two weeks are about building the habit.
Immediately After Fitting
Your appliance was adjusted in the chair so your teeth meet evenly against it. Do not adjust or trim it yourself.
Practise inserting and removing it several times before you leave. Seat it with firm, even finger pressure. Never bite it into place, which cracks the appliance and loosens the fit.
Remove it by easing it away from the back teeth on both sides at once, rather than levering it off from the front.
Increased saliva and slightly altered speech for the first few nights are normal.
Wearing It In
Wear it every night from the first night, unless you have been given a different schedule.
Most people adapt within three to seven nights. If you find it difficult at first, wear it for an hour or two in the evening while relaxing at home before trying it overnight.
Mild tooth tenderness or jaw tiredness on waking is common during the first week and usually settles as your muscles adapt.
Your teeth may feel as though they do not meet correctly for a few minutes after you take it out in the morning. This settles on its own. If your bite has not returned to normal within about half an hour, let us know.
What "Too Tight" Means
Snug is correct. Painful is not.
The appliance should grip firmly enough to stay in place overnight without you clenching on it.
A splint that has not been worn for several weeks will often feel tight again. Wear it for short periods during the day to ease back in rather than forcing it.
Sharp pressure on a single tooth, a persistent ache, or an appliance you cannot seat fully is not something to push through. Stop wearing it and contact us for an adjustment.
Never heat an appliance, soak it in hot water, or reshape it to make it fit. Heat distorts it permanently.
Cleaning and Storage
Rinse under cool water immediately after removing it, and brush it gently with a soft toothbrush and cool water.
Do not use toothpaste, which is abrasive and dulls the surface, and do not use hot water.
Once or twice a week, soak it in a denture or appliance cleaning tablet solution as directed, then rinse thoroughly.
Allow it to dry completely before storing, and always keep it in its ventilated case. A damp appliance left in a closed container encourages bacterial and fungal growth.
Keep it away from heat, including car dashboards, windowsills, hot water, and dishwashers.
Keep it out of reach of pets. Dogs are the most common cause of a destroyed appliance.
Brush and floss your teeth before inserting it. Wearing an appliance over plaque holds bacteria and acid against the enamel all night.
Sports Mouthguards
Wear it for training as well as matches. Many dental injuries happen at training.
Rinse it after every use and store it in its case, never loose in a sports bag.
Growing children and teenagers need a new mouthguard each season, and often sooner, as new teeth erupt.
Replace a mouthguard that has been bitten through, torn, or has lost its close fit. A loose mouthguard offers little protection.
If you wear braces or aligners, tell us so the mouthguard can be made to accommodate them.
What Is Normal During Recovery
Increased saliva for the first few nights
Mild tooth tenderness or jaw tiredness in the first week
A bite that feels slightly different for a short time after removal
Gradual wear marks on the biting surface over months of use
Needing a short re-adaptation period after a break in wearing it
When to Contact Your Dentist
Pain, rather than tightness, when the appliance is in place
An appliance that cracks, chips, splits, or develops a sharp edge
An appliance that no longer seats fully or has become loose
A bite that still feels wrong more than half an hour after removal
Gum swelling, ulceration, or bleeding where the appliance sits
Worsening jaw joint pain, locking, or clicking
If you notice any of these signs, contact ArtSmiles on the Gold Coast for review. An appliance that has stopped fitting properly should be checked rather than simply left out, because the grinding or clenching it was made to manage continues in the meantime.
You can book a consultation online or get in touch with us if you have concerns about your splint or mouthguard.
