Night guards and mouthguards for teeth grinding in Australia (2026)

Grinding or clenching your teeth, which dentists call bruxism, is common, often happens in sleep, and is usually discovered by a partner who hears it or a dentist who sees the wear. A night guard, also called an occlusal splint, is the standard way to protect your teeth from the damage. It does not stop the grinding; it puts a layer of plastic between your upper and lower teeth so the plastic wears instead of the enamel.

This guide explains the types of night guard available in Australia, what they cost over the counter and from a dentist, which over-the-counter guards we think are worth buying, and what healthdirect and the dental profession say about reducing the grinding itself. We are not dentists and nothing here is a diagnosis; if you suspect you grind, see a registered dentist, because bruxism can crack teeth and fillings and is sometimes a sign of sleep apnoea.

How to tell if you grind your teeth

healthdirect lists the usual signs: cracked, chipped or loose teeth; damaged fillings; jaw muscle pain, especially in the morning; headaches; toothache; sensitive teeth; disturbed sleep; and jaw-joint (TMJ) problems. Some people have no symptoms at all until a dentist points out flattened or worn tooth edges. A bed partner often notices the noise first. Young children frequently grind and most grow out of it.

If you have several of these, a dental check-up is the right first step. Dentists look for wear patterns during routine examinations and can tell you whether a splint is warranted. If sleep bruxism is suspected, healthdirect notes the dentist may refer you to a doctor to check for sleep apnoea, which is linked to grinding.

Types of night guard

Option	How it fits	Indicative cost (AUD)	Typical lifespan	Suits
Stock or self-adjusting guard (e.g. SleepRight Dura Comfort)	Ready to wear, bite pads between molars	$64.95 (RRP $69.95)	6–12 months	Trying a guard before committing; mild grinding
Boil-and-bite guard	Softened in hot water and moulded at home	Price not verified; generally the cheapest category	3–12 months	Short-term use; sport
Dentist-made occlusal splint (hard or dual-laminate)	Impression or scan, lab-made, fitted and adjusted by a dentist	Quoted per practice; no published national figure found. The closest sourced benchmark is $200–$800 for lab-made removable retainers, and splints are typically thicker and dearer	2–5 years	Regular grinding or clenching; jaw pain; worn or cracked teeth
Sports mouthguard, custom	Lab-made from impression	Quoted per practice	1–2 seasons	Contact sport, not grinding

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Stock and self-adjusting guards are ready to wear out of the box. SleepRight’s design uses two bite pads that sit between the upper and lower molars, held in place by the lips, cheeks and tongue rather than clipping onto the teeth. Boil-and-bite guards are softened in hot water and pressed over the teeth to take a rough impression; they are the cheapest and bulkiest, and they are really sports mouthguards pressed into service. Custom occlusal splints are made in a dental laboratory from an impression or digital scan of your teeth, then fitted and adjusted by the dentist so that your bite meets evenly on the plastic.

Custom splints are thinner, more comfortable, last longer and are adjusted to your bite, which matters because a poorly balanced guard can itself aggravate jaw pain. Over-the-counter guards are a sensible way to find out whether you can tolerate sleeping with something in your mouth before spending several hundred dollars.

What night guards cost in Australia

Over the counter: the SleepRight Dura Comfort Dental Guard was $64.95 at Healthylife (RRP $69.95) in November 2026. Boil-and-bite guards from sports brands are generally cheaper, though we could not verify a current Australian listing to quote a figure.

From a dentist: there is no regulated fee for an occlusal splint in Australia and we did not find a published national survey figure for it. The fee is set by each practice and covers the examination, impressions or scan, the laboratory cost and a fitting appointment, with a review visit sometimes included. The nearest sourced benchmark we have is What’s The Damage’s November 2026 range of $200–$800 for lab-made removable retainers; a splint is a thicker, harder appliance with more chair time, so expect to be quoted at or above the upper part of that range, and ask for a written quote with the item number (occlusal splints are itemised separately from mouthguards in the Australian dental schedule).

Health funds: many extras policies pay a benefit towards an occlusal splint under general or major dental, often with an annual limit and sometimes a waiting period. Benefits vary widely between funds and products, so check your policy and ask the practice for the item number before you commit. Do not assume a payout. Our extras cover comparison explains how dental benefits work, and dental costs in Australia covers check-up and examination fees.

Over-the-counter night guards reviewed

SleepRight Dura Comfort Dental Guard

SleepRight is the most widely sold over-the-counter night guard in Australian pharmacies and the one we recommend if you want to try a guard before seeing a dentist. It is ready to use, with no boiling or microwaving. Two bite pads sit between the upper and lower molars to restore what the maker calls the natural freeway space (the small gap between the teeth at rest), and stability wings keep it in position. It does not clip onto the teeth, so it suits people with crowns or bridges that a clip-on guard might stress, and it is BPA-free. The Dura Comfort is the self-adjusting size for regular to large mouths; SleepRight also makes slimmer versions.

At $64.95 (RRP $69.95) it is not cheap for a piece of plastic, but it is a tenth of the likely cost of a custom splint. Downsides: the bite pads are bulkier than a custom splint, some people find it hard to keep in place at first, and like all over-the-counter guards it is not balanced to your bite. Healthylife’s listing gives no contraindications; the general advice for any therapeutic good applies: read the label and follow the directions.

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Boil-and-bite guards

Sports brands such as Shock Doctor and Opro sell boil-and-bite guards in pharmacies and sports stores. Moulded carefully, they protect teeth from grinding wear for a few months before the soft material chews through. They are bulky, can make you gag, and some dentists believe a soft, chewy guard encourages clenching rather than reducing it. Use one as a stop-gap, not a long-term solution. We did not verify a current Australian price for a specific boil-and-bite guard at the time of writing.

Online custom-fit guards

Several companies sell impression kits online and post back a lab-made guard without a dental visit. They are cheaper than a dentist’s splint but the Australian Dental Association’s policy on direct-to-consumer dentistry specifically names mouthguards and sleep appliances among the products that have caused pain, injury and permanent damage when supplied without in-person examination. A splint for grinding should be fitted and balanced by someone who can see your bite.

Custom occlusal splints from a dentist

A dentist-made splint starts with an examination of your teeth, jaw muscles and joints, then impressions or a digital scan. The laboratory makes a hard acrylic splint, or a dual-laminate splint with a soft inner layer and hard outer surface, for the upper or lower teeth. At the fitting visit the dentist adjusts the biting surface so that all your teeth meet evenly on the plastic, and checks that your jaw can slide freely. You may be asked to come back after a few weeks for a second adjustment.

Expect two to five years from a well-made splint, longer if your grinding settles. Bring it to your check-ups so the dentist can check wear, and have it re-balanced after any new crowns or fillings, which change your bite. If you also have sleep apnoea, a different appliance, a mandibular advancement splint, may be recommended, and that is a separate conversation with your dentist and doctor.

When choosing a dentist, check their registration on the AHPRA register. Any registered general dentist can make a splint; dentists with a particular interest in jaw pain and sleep dentistry, or oral medicine specialists, see the more complex cases.

How to stop grinding your teeth in your sleep

A guard protects teeth; it does not treat the cause, and healthdirect is clear that not everyone with bruxism needs treatment beyond that. For reducing the grinding itself, healthdirect lists:

• Stress management: counselling including cognitive behaviour therapy, relaxation techniques such as mindfulness and meditation, and good sleep habits.
• Cutting triggers: caffeine, alcohol, smoking and recreational stimulants are all linked to grinding. Some antidepressants are too; talk to your GP rather than stopping a medicine.
• Physical management: a custom-made occlusal splint, dental repair of damaged teeth, physiotherapy for jaw muscle pain, and treatment of any linked condition such as sleep apnoea or snoring.

Daytime clenching responds to awareness: notice when your teeth are touching (they should not be, except when you swallow or chew), rest the tongue behind the front teeth and let the jaw hang. Some people find a reminder on their phone or a sticky note on the monitor helps. There is no specific way to prevent bruxism, but combining approaches reduces damage, and most people’s grinding eases when the stressful period passes.

Jaw pain that persists, locking or clicking, or teeth that have cracked are reasons to see a dentist promptly rather than to buy another guard.

Cleaning and care

Rinse the guard in cool water every morning, brush it gently with a soft toothbrush and mild soap, and let it dry in a ventilated case. Once or twice a week, soak it in a retainer and mouthguard cleaning tablet; Polident’s Retainer and Mouthguard Cleanser was $6.49 for 36 tablets at Chemist Warehouse and is labelled for night guards. Never use hot water, toothpaste (it scratches) or bleach, and keep it away from dogs. Our retainer cleaner guide covers the full routine, which is identical for splints.

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A note on sports mouthguards

A mouthguard for football, hockey or boxing is a different product: thicker, softer and designed to absorb impact, not to be slept in. The Australian Dental Association recommends custom-fitted sports mouthguards from a dentist over boil-and-bite for anyone playing contact sport, and many extras policies include a benefit for them. Do not use a sports guard as a night guard long term, or a night guard for sport.

Common questions